Article published November 27, 2009
Spirit of sharing leads church to serve community
St. Joan of Arc joins forces with St. Vincent de Paul Society
Kelly Hart serves stuffing to Ray Smith at St. Joan of Arc Parish's first-ever community Thanksgiving dinner.
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THE BLADE/DAVE ZAPOTOSKY
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By MIKE SIGOV
BLADE STAFF WRITER
Clutching a cello, Lee Ann Song was beaming yesterday as she greeted Thanksgiving dinner guests in the gym of St. Joan of Arc School in South Toledo.
"Food and music cannot go wrong on this day," said the 15-year-old who is a junior at Sylvania Southview High School and a cellist for the Toledo International Youth Orchestra.
"Since I'm on school break, I thought it would be wonderful to volunteer today," she said. "I am thankful to my parents for all the support they have given me so I am able to perform for people, because that's what I like most."
Miss Song was one of about 20 members of the orchestra who volunteered to play classical holiday music at St. Joan of Arc Parish's first-ever community Thanksgiving dinner, which was a joint effort between the parish on Heatherdowns Boulevard and the St. Vincent de Paul Society.
A placard held by Keith Sadler was one of the protest signs at the Ottawa Hills Village Council meeting when council voted to hire sharpshooters to thin the community’s deer herd.
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Anna Conley, 70, a member of the parish and the St. Vincent de Paul Society, said the church had not hosted Thanksgiving meals in the past because it does not have a kitchen.
But this year the economy created such a need that the parish used the Feed Lucas County Children Inc. kitchen to prepare the holiday meal, she said."The main thing we wanted to accomplish is to make everybody feel as if they'd come home for a family holiday meal," Ms. Conley said, noting that the event was for both the needy and those who are away from their families.
One of four members of the event's organizing committee, Ms. Conley spent much of the day on a walkie-talkie, assigning volunteers. The other committee members - Willie Meyer, Kathy Despoth, and Danita Dumas - were equally busy.
Vernon Coffman and his son Dale look over their Thanksgiving dinner, prepared in Feed Lucas County Children's kitchen.
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Mr. Meyer, 53, was in charge of preparing enough food to be ready for up to 600 people. Left-overs were to go to parishes that host regular meals for the needy.
The former restaurant cook said he prepared the food for yesterday's event with help from 20 volunteers. The menu included turkey, ham, the traditional trimmings, plus 20 desserts.
About 200 other volunteers, including dozens of scouts, gave packages of toiletries to guests.
Tomas Baliu-Rodriguez, 11, a sixth-grader at St. Joan of Arc School and a member of Boy Scout Troop 114, said he could have been playing video games with friends.
But he chose to greet guests and give out care packages.
"And it's OK because I am helping other people and that's what's important," he said.
The Rev. Gregory Hite, pastor at St. Joan of Arc, was among those greeting the guests with smiles and welcoming words.
He said afterward that he hopes the Thanksgiving dinner, which was modeled after a similar meal at Christ the King Church in West Toledo, becomes an annual event for St. Joan of Arc.
At least two guests shared his hope.
"They [the volunteers] make me feel comfortable, like being with my family," said Nell Jackson, 42, of Sylvania Township. Her parents are dead and her children have moved out of the area, she said.
Mary Ridenour, 62, of Maumee, a friend of Ms. Jackson's, said she ate at the dinner because she has no remaining family other than a brother in Illinois.
"The people, the music, and the food - they make me feel like I belong here," she added. "I am even thinking of joining this parish."
Contact Mike Sigov at:
sigov@theblade.com
or 419-724-6089.
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