The Edmond Sun

Local News

Discussion

October 3, 2008

UCO to host Thanksgiving dinner again

Mark Schlachtenhaufen

The Edmond Community Thanksgiving Dinner will no longer be served at area churches.

Following last year’s successful inagural event on the University of Central Oklahoma campus, Edmond’s Community Thanksgiving Dinner will be hosted by UCO again this fall.

In 2007, UCO officials offered the Nigh University Center’s ballroom as the location for the holiday dinner, which now serves meals to more than 3,000 each year.

“They felt that the meal was an excellent forum for the university to reach out to the community and generously offered the use of their fine facility,” said Mike Laska, event co-coordinator.

“We will serve once again in the UCO ballroom and we are looking forward to a long relationship serving the greater community.”

The first time the Community Thanksgiving Dinner was served in Edmond was Thanksgiving Day, 1981. It was prepared by Frank and Pat Paradise, members of First Presbyterian Church, for anyone who wished to join them for a Thanksgiving Day dinner.

It was as much a gesture of love as it was convenience for they had a family of six children at that time and they felt surely a few more couldn’t be that difficult, besides it was their hope they could enjoy the company of their church family.

As it turned out about 15-20 showed up for this dinner and all enjoyed it so much organizers resolved to do the same the next year. That next year, 1982, more than 50 people enjoyed food and fellowship for Thanksgiving Day.

For many years, the dinner was prepared and hosted at First Presbyterian Church, but organizers felt it would be more appropriate if some of the other churches represented acted as host for the meal.

This change marked the first time solid organization was needed to structure the preparation, cooking and hosting of the meal. The number of churches involved required far greater organization as well.

Not only did the number of churches grow, but so did the amount of food required. About the 15th year, the food preparation was at St. John The Baptist Catholic Church. St John’s had a large commercial kitchen that aided food preparation, and it was a central location that eased delivery to the seven churches involved at the time.

In 2000, the Edmond Community Thanksgiving Dinner association was begun. It received its 501(c)3 identification from the IRS the following year and its standing as a nonprofit charitable organization became official.

Meals served include those at the host church, meals taken home, scheduled home delivery, meals donated to Jesus House at the end of the day and meals supplied to other charitable organizations throughout the community. They include: Edmond Mobile Meals, Breakfast on Boulevard, Samaritan House, HOPE Center and Cooks Nite Out.

Text Only
Local News
  • jc_babyA.jpg OU Medical Edmond greets 100th baby

    Sometimes it seems as if history repeats itself.
    My Birth Center at OU Medical Center Edmond delivered its 100th baby at 7:42 a.m. Friday, 44 years after the hospital’s first 100th baby was born in 1968. My Birth Center opened in September, becoming the first birth place available in Edmond since 2005.

    February 11, 2012 3 Photos

  • 2-11 Police & fire runs

    February 11, 2012

  • School board candidates release financial reports

    Both candidates running for the Edmond school board District No. 1 seat filed their first of two financial reports with the school administration.

    February 11, 2012

  • 2-11 Edmond Senior Center calendar

    The Edmond Senior Center, 2733 Marilyn Williams Drive, is open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday.
    For information about Edmond senior programs, stop by and pick up a monthly calendar, check out the website at edmondseniorcenter.com or call 216-7600.
    Lunch is served at 11:30 a.m. and reservations are needed a day in advance by 11 a.m.
    For lunch reservations, call at 330-6293 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

    February 10, 2012

  • State schools to receive No Child Left Behind waiver

    State Secretary of Education Phyllis Hudecki announced Thursday Oklahoma is one of 10 states chosen to receive a waiver from No Child Left Behind requirements.

    February 10, 2012

  • Logan Co. Democrats to meet Monday

    The Logan County Democratic Committee will have its monthly meeting on Monday.
    The main order of business will be Get Out the Vote for the April 3 state Senate race. Precinct officers are encouraged to attend. In addition to business and planning items, the group will celebrate Logan County Democrats with birthdays in February. 

    February 10, 2012

  • Eloise Rees.jpg Edmond loses wealth of knowledge with death of resident

    The death of longtime Edmond resident Eloise Rodkey Rees goes with the saying that with every death, you lose a library.

    February 10, 2012 1 Photo

  • Polling places: Where to vote

    February 10, 2012

  • Humphreys seeks Senate seat

    Fearing that the liberties of Oklahomans are slipping away, Republican Chris Humphreys said he hopes to win the state Senate District 20 primary race set for Tuesday.

    February 10, 2012

  • Unwritten contracts hard to prove

    Q: Can an agreement be enforced if it is not in writing?
    A: Although it is generally advisable to put every agreement in writing, most agreements can be enforced without written evidence of the deal. Both oral and written contracts can, in the right circumstances, bind the parties to perform.

    February 10, 2012