Throughout the nation, Thursday will be a day of feasting, fellowship, family and giving thanks.
For the fifth year, a group of volunteers is working to make sure everyone who wants one will have a free traditional Thanksgiving meal – turkey, dressing and all the trimmings, including green beans, mashed potatoes and gravy, cranberry sauce, rolls, dessert, tea and water.
Two of the organizers are Cynseria and Billy Jenkins.
Billy Jenkins, who is Cornelia Fire Chief and pastor of Greater Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church in Hollywood, said about 25 volunteers work to make the day possible, with a group of about 12 core volunteers.
Volunteers work different segments of the event, including prep on Wednesday, cooking through the night, serving and cleanup Thursday afternoon.
The food, which includes 30 turkeys cooked by Wolf Creek BBQ, is purchased through donations from various organizations, including McGahee-Griffin & Stewart Funeral Home, Jacky Jones Chrysler in Cleveland, Sheer Perfection Salon, Hulsey’s Towing, the Coca Cola Company, Greater Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church and Iglesia Principe De Paz, pastored by Sam Negron, another organizer of the event.
Last year, the group served more than 500 meals, Jenkins said, and he expects to serve at least that many this year. Meals are available at the site, Cornelia Community House, and more will be brought to those needing delivery, including at least 125 meals to the Lee Arrendale Transitional Center.
“Those ladies are away from their family members, and they may not get to see their family that day, but at least they can have a ‘home cooked’ meal,” Cynseria Jenkins said.
One woman’s story particularly touched the Jenkinses. The woman said her family was “doing their own thing” for Thanksgiving.
“She said, ‘All I want is to have a meal, and you and your group can provide that for me, and I’m satisfied.’ That broke me down,” Billy Jenkins said. “We want to be around family, but she just wanted a meal.”
The Jenkinses have considered volunteering with Hosea Feed the Hungry in Atlanta, but family obligations have prevented them from doing that.
“God provided this opportunity,” Billy Jenkins said. “We could always go somewhere else to serve, but serving at home is major. I always ask my parishioners, ‘What are you doing at home?’”
Cynseria Jenkins agrees.
“It’s something we’ve always had a desire to do,” she said. “We were never able to volunteer in that area (Atlanta) because of different family obligations, so we decided to try it here. Now it’s an annual thing. Our kids are involved and even our little grandson, who is 4, is aware of what’s going on. It’s all about giving back to the community.”
This will be the fourth year Shanna Adams has volunteered at the Community Thanksgiving Dinner. She said she’s done “just about everything,” from setup to serving.
“I love giving back to the community,” Adams said. “I always have. I love helping people in need. It’s a joy to my heart to see people come through and to socialize with them, and know they get a warm meal on Thanksgiving, those that don’t have family around here.”
The dinner has been held in the past, but this is the fifth year this group of volunteers has organized it, Adams said.
Preparations began about three months before Thanksgiving, with preliminary meetings to organize the event and discuss fundraising, Cynseria Jenkins said. This year, the decision was made to expand further into White County.
“In the past, we’ve kind of stuck to the Habersham area … but this year, we’re extending the effort into White County,” she said.
Cynseria Jenkins said the community appreciates the annual event, and it gives many community members a place to spend the day and fellowship.
“Even if they are alone, people can come in that day and spend that day with somebody,” she said. “They don’t have to stay at home. They can make a new friend.
“People have called, crying, saying if it hadn’t been for this, they wouldn’t have anything,” she added. “That’s why we do it. It’s all about the fellowship and it’s all about the community. We have been blessed, and we just want to pay it forward.”
The meal is free and open to the public. For more information or to inquire about delivery, contact Billy Jenkins at 706-499-0120; Sam Negron at 706-839-8222; or, if you live in White County, call Amos Smith at 706-525-1888.
The Community Thanksgiving Dinner will be served Thursday, Nov. 24 at the Cornelia Community House, 601 Wyly Street in Cornelia, from 11:30 a.m. until about 3:30 p.m.