By Keith Gushard

Meadville Tribune

Maxine Holzer feels a sense of community when she’s serving up stuffing to several hundred friends on Thanksgiving.

“It’s nice to help someone else and brighten their day,” said Holzer, 74, who has volunteered at the annual community Thanksgiving dinner for more than five years. “It’s a piece of cake to help.”

The annual community dinner — open to anyone — is set for Nov. 26 at noon at the Family & Community Christian Association, formerly known as the YWCA of Meadville, at 378 Chestnut St. Earlier this year, the local social service organization voted to disaffiliate from the national and regional YWCA and operate independently.

Despite the name change, “the dinner will run exactly the same as it always has,” said Judy Ventresca, the FCCA’s executive director. “People will see no changes.”

Bill Foster, a local contractor who has chaired the annual dinner for 32 years, says the intent of the dinner remains the same as always.

“This is for anyone who doesn’t have somewhere to go on Thanksgiving,” Foster said.

Drawing upward of 300 to 400 guests per year, it’s just not for retirees or those who are in financial difficulty — but a true community event, he said.

“I always say we get everyone from lawyers to Indian chiefs,” he said. “We get a vast cross-section of people.”

“Now, we’re getting young couples who have moved to town and their family may be too far away to travel to,” he said. “They spend time with us. We’ve become their extended families.”

With the economy in dire straits, Foster will be ready if there is a big jump in guests this year.

Putting together a meal for hundreds of people requires help from the business community and volunteers.

There are about 50 to 60 volunteers like Holzer who help prepare and serve, he said.

Preparations begin on Tuesday of Thanksgiving week with some 18 to 20 turkeys being prepared.