Pull up seat at community feast

SANDUSKY — There's plenty of room at this Thanksgiving Day table for anyone who wants or needs a holiday meal. The 43rd-annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner takes place from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Thursday at Holy Angels Catholic Church, 428 Tiffin Ave. (U.S. 6) in Sandusky. People can receive their food by dining in, carrying out or getting delivery. In addition to Holy Angels, it's put on by Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Sandusky. For delivery, people can call Holy Angels at 419-625-3698 through 5 p.m. Wednesday to place an order for Thursday. People can also call this number to arrange for transportation to and from Holy Angels. Volunteers expect to serve at least 2,100 people, which equals about how many people came out last year. There's always a special emphasis on serving seniors, those requiring special care, first responders and frontline health care workers. Attendees can expect the traditional dinner staples, which consist of 200 roasted turkeys, 500 pounds of real mashed potatoes and other homemade goods, like stuffing, sweet potatoes and a huge assortment of freshly baked pies. There will also be vegetables. "We have plenty of food thanks to the generosity of the community," said Terry Diso, one of the event's main coordinators. "We just want to let everyone in the community know we have a delicious dinner waiting for them. Anybody who is hungry, we welcome you all." Several volunteers, including Diso, spent this week prepping for an important community event. As in years past, upon leaving, attendees can also receive a bag of groceries at no cost. Also returning: Holy Angels and Zion teamed up with the Sandusky Knights of Columbus chapter to provide winterwear supplies, like coats; baby items, such as diapers; and more, including children's books. People can browse through a collection of coats in the dining room area. Diso and Gary Ferber, another event coordinator, thanked all the volunteers and local organizations for making this event possible. Beyond the aforementioned entities, other contributors include the Erie County Community Foundation, Thrivent Financial, Stierhoff Moving, the Sandusky Yacht Club, Berardi's Family Kitchen, Quarry Hill Orchards, Kroger, Sandusky Central Catholic School's Teen Leadership Corps class as well as the district's boys and girls basketball teams. "We have about 150 volunteers who help us, and what we do could never be accomplished without these people who have generously given their time and rearranged their Thanksgiving dinner plans so others can have a meal on this day," Diso said.