Whether you’re looking for a little extra food or a little extra fellowship this week, St. Michael’s Community Kitchen will offer plenty of both.

The annual Thanksgiving dinner hosted by the church will be available from 2:45-4:30 p.m. Thursday at St. Michael’s, 678 School St. The meal is free and open to all who wish to attend, and organizers will also provide Grab and Go options and meal deliveries for those who are homebound.

The menu

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The traditional Thanksgiving fare will be offered, including turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, green beans, yams, cranberries and pies, to name a few.

Organizer Robin Schiffbauer said her team has been hard at work this week to make sure the spread is prepared just right.

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Among the numerous preparations are roasting 53 turkeys and peeling more than 100 potatoes, though smaller sides also take a good amount of work, Schiffbauer said. Monday.

“We cut up all the onions and celery for the stopping, and we were also washing and cutting up grapes and apples for Waldorf salad. We’ve done it long enough that we have a set schedule of having this done by this day,” she said.

With about 50 volunteers lending their efforts, many hands have made work go faster, she added.

“I have some people that just say, ‘I’d really love to make stuffing, I would like to come in and just do that,'” she said. “That way we have four or five people just focusing on that.”

It hasn’t been hard to find people to make the meal, although cleaning up afterward is another matter.

Schiffbauer said she doesn’t anticipate being shorthanded on Thursday — it will all get done one way or another — but anyone offering to assist with leftovers and dishes will certainly not be rebuffed.

“If people would like to call and see where we’re at, that would be great,” she said.

The turnout

The 2023 dinner saw a total of 380 meals — between dine-in visitors and delivery recipients — and Schiffbauer expects more than 420 to be their number this year. 

While some people show up simply to fill their bellies on the biggest food day on the American calendar, some are there for reasons beyond that.

“I think fellowship is big, I think we will get a few families in that just come and have the meal and sometimes have a donation,” she said.

The gathering is non-denominational, and while monetary donations are appreciated, there is no requirement or admission fee.

“It’s definitely not a ‘have-to’ at all. It’s just a nice place that’s a great atmosphere for people to come in,” Schiffbauer said.

The tradition

While St. Michael’s Community Kitchen offers food aid throughout the year for people in Craig, Turkey Day is by far is when the service sees the biggest demand.

“It’s definitely our big dinner, and we can support them all, and we just hope that many people come and enjoy,” Schiffbauer said.

The kitchen has been going for about 15 years, and Schiffbauer has been an integral part of it. And is the attitude most of the year, she would rather see a bigger turnout to make sure nothing goes to waste.

“I think just the whole community coming together and working together to pull it off, that’s the best part,” she said. “It’s wonderful to see everyone come together to make sure it happens.”

For more information on the Community Kitchen or to request a delivery, call 970-826-2895.