LIMA, Ohio (WLIO) — It is Thanksgiving season, and one local ministry is preparing for one of the area’s largest holiday meals.
Compassionate Ministries of Lima will be at the Veterans Civic Center on Thanksgiving, serving approximately 3,000 meals featuring traditional holiday staples such as turkey, dressing and mashed potatoes. The West Ohio Food Bank will also distribute food boxes to individuals and families who may need extra assistance during the holiday season.
Compassionate Ministries of Lima will be at the Veterans Civic Center on Thanksgiving, serving approximately 3,000 meals.
Organizers said they are proud to continue this long-standing community tradition.
“I think that the Thanksgiving dinner is really one of the big events. That's a signature event in Lima you know, you think at July 4, everybody wants to go to Ferro Park and be a part of what goes on down there, and all the resources and the people that come together to put on the fireworks. You know, the Thanksgiving dinner, we're preparing to plate 3000 hot meals on Thanksgiving Day. I mean, you're hard pressed to find any sort of community that's coming together pulling all their resources to make that kind of event happen. It's really a special thing that we have here in Lima,” said Rev. Jonathan Burkey, executive director of Compassionate Ministries of Lima.
A number of corporate sponsors help make the meal possible each year.
“As always, we want to thank our sponsors, the people that make this meal happen. Nutrien, the people at St Rita's, Rudolph foods, Bob Evans Farms, Coca Cola, the people at the Union Bank Company. I mean, there are just so many different organizations that come together to make this meal happen, and we could not do this on our own, and it's a true collaborative effort of the community,” Burkey added.
The Lima Community Thanksgiving Dinner will be held Thursday, Nov. 27, from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Veterans Civic Center. Meals will also be available for drive-thru pickup at the Wingate Hotel, Elizabeth Street entrance. For more information and volunteering opportunities, visit www.limathanksgiving.com.
