PORT ANGELES — More than 1,000 people gathered for a free community Thanksgiving meal in the Queen of Angeles Church gym in Port Angeles on Thursday.
The feast serving 1,034 was the largest of those on the North Olympic Peninsula that provided warm meals and camaraderie to all who wanted to attend.
Organizers of free community meals served turkey with all the fixings — and smiles — at community centers from Brinnon to Forks.
Reath Ellefson, who organizes the annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner in Port Angeles, whisked around a near-capacity Queen of Angels gym to greet attendees and scores of busy cooks, servers, greeters and other volunteers.
“It’s great — a little overwhelming,” Ellefson said midway through the seventh annual community feast.
The public meal in Port Angeles featured 40 turkeys, a dozen hams, a bevy of gifts, clothing, “faith, hope and love bags” containing personal grooming items, and a visit from Santa Claus.
The event was made possible by 100 volunteers, Ellefson added.
The feast drew about 800 people in 2013. This year’s was the largest turnout the event has experienced.
“I am beyond thrilled,” Ellefson said.
“I expected at least 800, but I did not expect this.”
Jefferson County’s largest Thanksgiving Day feast at the Tri-Area Community Center in Chimacum served an estimated 300 meals this Thanksgiving.
The festive event had live music and a “nice and steady” flow of guests, organizer J.J. Jenkins said.
The Chimacum meal is put on by Olympic Community Action Programs and the St. Vincent de Paul Society of St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Church.
A team of volunteers delivered meals to those who couldn’t travel to the center.
“We sent 83 meals home, and the rest were eaten here,” Jenkins said.
Nan Toby Tyrell played piano during the feast.
Jenkins played guitar, Roger Pyatt played harmonica and Greg Vinson strummed a guitar, banjo and ukulele, Jenkins said.
The same organizers also sponsor a Christmas Day feast at the Tri-Area center.
In Forks, area churches served an estimated 120 meals at the Feeding the 5,000 Thanksgiving Day Dinner at the Forks Community Center.
The dinner was served by about 30 volunteers from area churches and Forks High School students, said Tom Lafrenz, meal organizer and pastor of Forks Church of the Nazarene.
“The whole community is helping,” Lafrenz said as the last meals were being dished up.
Other holiday feasts were served at Trinity United Methodist Church, Sunshine Cafe and Hardy’s Market in Sequim; Brinnon Community Center; St. Paul’s Church in Port Townsend; and the Joy Luck Center in Chimacum.
The Port Angeles Salvation Army hosted an early Thanksgiving feast Wednesday that served more than 100.
Also on Thanksgiving Eve, about 150 people gathered at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Port Townsend for a free community meal.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5072, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
