The Enid News and Eagle, Enid, OK

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November 25, 2009

4 free Thanksgiving meals to be offered today in Enid

Four free Thanksgiving meals are being offered today in Enid by organizations in the city.

The meals are available at:

• Salvation Army, 2 p.m. The meal will be provided in the Salvation Army dining room, 516 N. Independence.

• First Baptist Church, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The meal will be provided at the church, 401 W. Maine.

• Knights of Columbus, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The meal will be at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, 110 N. Madison. Meals can be delivered by calling 234-6882.

• Seventh-day Adventist Church, 1501 W. Purdue. The meal will begin at 11 a.m. in the gym.

Laverna Beltz, women’s ministry director of Seventh-day Adventist Church, said the church’s meal is set up for about 120 people and will feature a traditional meal.

Transportation is provided and vans will pick up guests at First Presbyterian Church, 501 W. Main, at 10:45 a.m. and take them to Seventh-day Adventist, then return them after dinner.

Beltz said the meal will be prepared and served all by volunteers and is free to all of those without homes. Al-though this isn’t the first time a Thanksgiving meal will be served by the church, none have been done before of “this magnitude,” Beltz said.

“We decided at our women’s council we wanted to do something for the community and this kept coming back to me,” she said. “People have given food or main dishes and we’ll have a full Thanksgiving dinner.”

At Vance Air Force Base, airmen who live in base dormitories and have nowhere else to go will be treated to Thanksgiving dinner by members of base leadership.

Senior leaders like 71st Flying Training Wing commander Col. Chris Nowland and vice commander Col. Richard Murphy provide the turkey, while squadron commanders furnish the side dishes. Chief master sergeants are responsible for desserts, while first sergeants are responsible for utensils.

The food will be taken to Building 423 at around 11 a.m., and dorm residents will be able to come and get their holiday food whenever they want it.

“We will get it all set up and invite them to serve themselves,” said Master Sgt. Raul Flores, 71st Medical Group first sergeant. “Some of them will bring containers and they will eat leftovers Friday and all weekend.”

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