By Bill Riccio, Jr.
Voice Editor

It’s full speed ahead for the annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner, set for the First Congregational Church at noon on the big day, Nov. 26. Thanks to the generosity of several sponsors, the dinner not only has enough money to cover this year’s expenses, but give sizeable donations to other soup kitchens and aid agencies in the city.

“We’ve surpassed what we need to cover the expenses of this year’s dinner,” said the Rev. Art Yost, chairman of ACTION (Area Congregations Together in Outreach Networking), the sponsor of the event. “Thanks to a big donation from Bayer Pharmaceuticals, and 15 other businesses and individuals, we have more than enough money to cover the dinner.”

This is a big relief to Yost and his committee. Last year at this time, the committee was unsure it had enough money to run the dinner. Thanks to some late donations, including money from Bayer, the dinner was able to on.

“Though Bayer has moved out of the city, they have been very helpful toward many projects in the city, and have not forgotten us,” said Yost.

With the infusion of cash, Yost expects to give donations to Alex’s Soup Kitchen, sponsored by the First Congregational Church and gives meals on Monday afternoons, Project HOPE, which feeds the needy on Thursday nights at First Lutheran Church, and WHEAT.

The money is there, but the work still has to be done. Yost is hoping for volunteers, but also for families who can donate pies for the dinner.

Volunteers will be needed for the delivery of meals to shut-ins. Those residents who get Meals on Wheels are included in the delivery schedule. Setting up and cleaning up of the Fellowship Hall at First Congregational Church is another priority.

“Those who can help with pies are asked to call 933-3641, while those who can volunteer their time are asked to call 934-2210,” Yost said.

The Senior Trolley will be operation on Thanksgiving Day, and the schedule has been finalized. Seniors at the Prete Center in Allingtown will be collected at 10:30 a.m., Morrissey Manor at 10:50, Surfside 200 at 11:10, Union School at 11:20, and the VA Hospital at 11:40. Those who want to use the transportation are asked to call Yost at 931-9943 to get the time and number of people attending. The trolley will transport seniors back to their locations beginning at 1 p.m.

Though begun as a response to the homeless and needy back in the late 1980s, the Community Thanksgiving Dinner has evolved into an event that brings together a cross-section of the city’s residents. Many with families have taken part in the dinner, not only as volunteers but also as diners. Professional people, businessmen and just regular folks have come to the dinner looking for companionship and offering the same to those who might not have it on what is considered a family day.

Once the dinner is paid for, Yost said money not donated to the various agencies will be used for seed money for next year’s dinner, and the process begins anew.

As for the support he has received from the community, Yost was in the true sense of the day “thankful” for the outpouring of generosity.

“We thank the community of West Haven for its support, once again,” he said finally.