By Cass Rains, Staff Writer
As stuffing warmed in the oven and the smell of turkey filled the air, about 50 volunteers hustled and bustled to prepare a feast for more than 100 Thursday morning at the Seventh-day Adventist Church, 1501 W. Purdue.
Pastor Walter Martinez gave credit for the Herculean culinary effort to the church’s Women’s Ministry director, Laverna Beltz.
“It was actually Laverna,” Martinez said as volunteers entered the church with bundles of food and blankets.
Martinez said it was a sermon he’d given that led Beltz to ask to host the Thanksgiving dinner for Enid’s homeless community.
“Laverna called me a few days later and said ‘I’ve got an idea and I need to talk to you,’” he said. “We pitched it to the board and they were very excited about it.”
The volunteer effort included at least 50 people, including church members and members of Acts of Random Kindness, a group that regularly serves a monthly meal for the homeless community.
Martinez said the dinner represents something he’s wanted to do for the community as a church family.
“I’m just thrilled,” Mar-tinez said of the dinner. “It’s seeing the potential in people and how God wants to use them. The results are the fruits of God and the work of our church family.”
As well as serving a full Thanksgiving feast, blankets were available for everyone who attended the dinner and those who wanted could have a picture portrait made.
Director of Acts of Random Kindness Cindy Milacek was in charge of transporting those who could not make it to the church, as well as desserts.
“The ones that can’t get here, we’re bringing them here,” she said. “There’s no reason on Thanksgiving people shouldn’t be served like everyone else.”
Although Beltz was busy working with about 20 of the volunteers to get the meal under way, she was able to stop and reflect right before the meal began.
“It’s a wonderful feeling that we can do something for the community,” she said. “It’s sharing. It’s what it’s all about. Sharing what we have.”
Before the meal was served, Martinez gave a blessing and Beltz shared a few words with those who came for dinner.
“We’re just happy to see you are here today,” she told them. “You are blessing us.”
Thursday’s meal was not the only one served in the Enid community. Thanks-giving meals were provided and served at the Salvation Army, 516 N. Independence; First Baptist Church, 401 W. Maine; and Knights of Columbus served a meal at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, 110 N. Madison.
In addition, Vance Air Force Base airmen who live in base dormitories and who had nowhere else to go were treated to Thanksgiving dinner by members of base leadership.
