Volunteers Make Thanksgiving Special for Those in Need

By Autumn Johnson

Volunteers converged at the St. Raymond Catholic Church in Dublin this morning to help set-up for a Thanksgiving meal to be served to families, seniors, singles and veterans in need.

Dublin Patch stopped by to lend a hand and see what it takes to create not just a holiday meal but a quintessential Thanksgiving experience for so many in the community.

Tomorrow marks the second year in a row that several hundred people in need from around Tri-Valley are expected to gather together to enjoy a sit-down dinner of turkey with all of the trimmings, thanks to the combined efforts of volunteers, community organizations and several local churches. 

Vito's, Ocean Spray, Safeway, Lucky's, Wyotech and Semifreddis each donated food for the meal, according to Matt Troiano.

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Troiano says volunteers will stop by the church today to pick up the 26 turkeys prepared and ready for the oven and return them tomorrow cooked in time for dinner.

According to Troiano, the church will also deliver meals to residents in need who are not able to leave their homes.

Tables decorated in fall-colored tablecloths topped with placemats made by the children from the St. Raymond School, created a festive ambiance for dinner tomorrow. Children of all ages helped to decorate signs and fill goody bags to give away while others worked preparing food in the church kitchen.

Troiano says tomorrow he and a team of volunteers will be back in the kitchen by 6 a.m. cooking in order to make the meal ready by 11 a.m.