WCHS to host community Thanksgiving meal Wednesday

Local residents will have the chance to enjoy a free Thanksgiving meal Wednesday from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. at Whitley County High School thanks to the efforts of several volunteers.

“We are thankful for our communities. Just the same way families eat together and stay together, we believe that communities eat together and stay together,” said Whitley County High School

Principal Bob Lawson. “We love the idea of having a day outside of school to get together and eat some good food and fellowship.”

This is the second year for the program.

Lawson said there has been a misconception for some that the event was just for those, who are needy, which isn’t the case.

“We are going for a community meal type of thing,” he added.

Last year’s meal fed about 700 people and Lawson is hoping for a bigger crowd this year.

Lawson said that the cooking process doesn’t take as many volunteers as one might think.

Last year, a group of guys stayed up the night before smoking and cooking the turkeys overnight behind the school.

“It was a lot of fun. We spent all night back here behind the school. It was such a good time,” Lawson said.

Local elementary schools and the high school conducted a food drive, which collects much of the food used for the community meal.

“If you count all those volunteers and then people, who come in to serve and cook, the number would probably be 100,” Lawson noted. “It is at no cost to the school ever.”

Most of the food is courtesy of donations. Some people donate turkeys. Others donate canned goods and some people donate money to help buy other items.

The local grocery stores partner by selling food that isn’t donated at a reduced price.