TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Hernando Today

St. Frances Cabrini Will Cook 1,300 Meals

ADVERTISEMENT

By TONY HOLT

Hernando Today

Published: November 24, 2008

SPRING HILL - Several truck loads of turkey dinners will be given away this Thanksgiving - more than ever before.

Good Samaritanism plays a part, but that is expected every year among the volunteers at St. Frances Cabrini Catholic Church.

This year, the unprecedented number of dinners is partially due to the economy. It is difficult for anyone, especially a large family, to afford a full-scale holiday feast.

"We have enough food for about 1,300 people," said parishioner Fred Glass, who oversees the annual Thanksgiving food drive at the church.

A large portion of those dishes will be served to sheriff's deputies and firefighters who are working that day. That is the routine every year.

There also will be meals given to families of the local troops who are serving overseas, hospice care patients and their families and more than 300 or so who will sit and eat at the parish hall, Glass said.

The deliveries will begin at 11 a.m. Thursday. The meal at St. Frances Cabrini will take place at 1 p.m.

In all, there will be about 85 cooked turkeys. There also will be cases of stuffing, corn, peas, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, dinner rolls, desserts and beverages delivered to the church. The local supermarket chains, parishioners and other residents will donate the food, Glass said.

Nearly half the turkeys will be cooked in smokers and deep fryers in the church parking lot. The cooking will begin at 3 a.m. Wednesday. Other volunteers will cook and prepare turkeys at the church or at their homes.

"This year, the big problem is refrigerator space," Glass joked.

He realized heading into the Thanksgiving season there would be a lot of people seeking turkey meals - more than usual.

Glass spoke with other churchgoers who told him their food banks are getting cleaned out faster. He also knows whenever the economy is at a low point, it gets busier for those who do charity work.

"I've been speaking with everyone else ... and they told me their numbers are up," he said. "The economy is a big part of this, too."

As of Sunday, more than 1,000 people were on the delivery list. Hundreds more are expected by Thanksgiving morning.

There will be up to 300 drivers assisting that day. Several of the meals will be delivered in bulk, particularly those going to the local deputies and firefighters.

Volunteers will be on hand Wednesday night and Thursday morning. They will arrive at the church at 7 p.m. to begin preparations. Many of them will remain in the kitchen and parish hall until 1 a.m. Thursday or later.

They will return in another five or six hours to put the finishing touches on everything before the deliveries go out, Glass said.

Those interested in having a meal may call St. Frances Cabrini at 352-683-9666.

Reporter Tony Holt can be reached at 352-544-5283 or wholt@hernandotoday.com.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT