The Faribault Community Thanksgiving Dinner is exactly what the name says, a community event all the way around.

Community members show up to help prepare food just before Thanksgiving and community members help serve and deliver meals on Thanksgiving day.

No one organization sponsors the event or takes the lead.

Many businesses donate toward the event, the Legion hosts the event at their facility but with no sign-up sheets and a simple request to "show up" and help the event is pulled together each year.

Julie Fox and Laura McColley have co-chaired the event the past two years but they are quick to point out without volunteers it would never happen.

Due to the mixed precipitation on Thanksgiving more people elected to have their meals delivered this year.

This year, 832 people enjoyed the sit-down meal at the Legion and 524 meals were delivered during the Faribault event.

I waited in line patiently for my first delivery, which took me to two homes. The next trip was an apartment building and the final trip another home requesting two meals.

All recipients of the deliveries I made donated either money or food items for the Faribault Area Food Shelf.

Fox told me Friday she had just two words to relay about the event, "Thanks Faribault."

Indeed, I saw a number of new faces Wednesday evening when we peeled and diced up 300 pounds of potatoes.

It never ceases to amaze me. You see some of the same people each year but there are plenty of new faces too.

It's like magic and is one of the biggest Thanksgiving meal efforts in the state.

One of the reasons why I love living in Faribault is this event. It's proof you don't need government or any organization to put together a worthwhile effort, just a number of volunteers determined to make it happen.

The line for meal delivery at Faribault Legion Thanksgiving.
The line for meal delivery at Faribault Legion Thanksgiving day.
loading...

 

More From KDHL Radio