Enjoy the holiday with your family, community

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For what it is about to receive, the Jamestown community should be truly thankful.

For the 21st year Thursday, more than 100 volunteers will unite to serve a traditional Thanksgiving dinner to anyone who wants it, for free.

Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, corn, cranberries, rolls and even pumpkin pie are on the menu from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. — but so are fellowship, friendship and a sense of community.

The event is the brainchild of the late Fritz Buegel, who once offered a free Thanksgiving meal at his restaurant.

Later he attended community Thanksgiving meals in other towns, and wondered why Jamestown didn’t have one.

Instead of dismissing the idea, Buegel acted, thinking of the homeless, the poor, the elderly and the people who simply had nowhere else to go on the holiday.

He started the meal with a few volunteers and fewer than 100 attendees.

Over the years, attendance has grown well past 600 annually, as the dinner has become the destination of choice for families and those without families, single people and married people, the elderly and the very young.

It is at Concordia Lutheran Church, but people of all denominations attend and volunteer. All sorts of businesses donate food and funds for the meal, asking for nothing in return.

The community Thanksgiving dinner is open to everyone and everyone is welcome to come and give thanks — together.

We wish you a happy Thanksgiving.

(Editorials are the opinion of Jamestown Sun management and the newspaper’s editorial board)

Tags: thanksgiving 2011, opinion, editorials, holiday