THOMASVILLE — People without family or a good meal on Thursday are encouraged to attend the fifth annual free Community Thanksgiving Day Dinner. The event at the Thomasville High School cafeteria is organized by WORD DOERS of Thomasville.

“This is a good place to come for people who find themselves alone for the holidays,” event coordinator Ginny Carvin said. “There will be good food and company.”

The dinner is put on by the local organization, a ministry of non-profit Community Transformation Inc. dedicated to helping others with no strings attached, in order to express the true meaning of Thanksgiving.

“WORD DOERS do this for the love of Jesus,” member Mark Engelmann said. “We are a group of churches that came together to serve the community. We do it to be the hands and feet of Jesus in our community.”

Items on the menu include turkey, ham, dressing, cranberries, sweet potatoes, greens, rolls, tea and dessert.

Last year’s dinner fed approximately 1,200 people. Even more people are expected today, organizers said.

Carvin said the event helps those less fortunate in the community have a good Thanksgiving meal, but it also caters to the entire community.

“This is not necessarily for folks who are struggling. I talked to a fellow the other day who has a job and is doing well, but his wife passed away a few months ago and this will be the first holiday in 25 years he won’t have her. It is a hard situation and he wants to be around people, so he plans to come.”

Engelmann encouraged people to come out, “for whatever reason” and join in the fellowship.

Carvin said Thomasville is “a great little town.”

“People work and come together,” she said. “This is also a good time to reflect on what we do have to be thankful for this year.”



If you go

WHAT: WORD DOERS Community Thanksgiving Day Dinner

WHEN: Noon until 2 p.m., Thursday

WHERE: Thomasville High School cafeteria

INFORMATION: www.worddoers.org