First Choice Services offers residents Thanksgiving dinner

MOSES LAKE - For a number of Basin residents Thanksgiving came a week early, as First Choice Services held a free Thanksgiving dinner at the Moses Lake Elks Lodge on Wednesday.

The Moses Elks Lodge was packed with people on Wednesday, as the word of a free Thanksgiving dinner generally spreads fast throughout a community.

Dinner organizer Jennifer Killian said 2014 makes about 10 years the free dinner has been held, with hundreds of people served over the years.

"Although it originally started out for people with intellectual disabilities. We now welcome a lot of different people to come out. Some people come just to socialize with other people," said Killian.

The food was provided through donations from Safeway and Walmart, with a full spread of essential Thanksgiving fixings.

The food itself was cooked and distributed by students from Theresa Clement's culinary arts class at Columbia Basin Job Corps.

About 15 Job Corps students were on hand, some helping in the kitchen with the cooking, while some helping in distributing the food itself.

Mrs. Moses Lake Tiffany Vehrs was even there, greeting attendees as they walked in the doors.

The dinner spread featured all Thanksgiving essentials, cranberry sauce, turkey, pumpkin pie, rolls, green been casserole, yams and mashed potatoes.

"We worked hard for about a month to put all the different pieces together, just to make this day possible. It took a big effort, but in the end it was worth it," said Killian.

Killian thanked the Moses Lake Elks Lodge. The lodge waived its facility rental fee for the dinner. She called the lodge's action "a true blessing."

Richard Byrd can be reached via email at city@columbiabasinherald.com.