Hey TD, it's go time on turkey-day volunteering

Lea Mathieu and Codie Carpenter revel in the savory smells of sage and stuffing at Columbia Gorge Community College this afternoon in preparation for The Dalles Community Thanksgiving Meal. Volunteers are still needed to help out with the event, as COVID-19 appears to have cut into participation. You can sign up to volunteer at this link.  The meal will be organized and assembled at St. Mary’s Academy in The Dalles Thursday.

By Tom Peterson and Yahaira Alvarez

Between stirring stuffing and prepping turkeys, Codie Carpenter said she was simply returning a favor by volunteering to organize The Salvation Army’s Thanksgiving meal for the second year in a row. 

“Fifteen years ago I had a one-month-old son, and my husband had to be LifeFlighted,” she said. “I ended up on public assistance for a while. So this is my way of giving back.”

It is that sense of gratitude that has made the dinner successful for years, and this year hopes to be no different as they aim to put some 700 meals on the table for families needing a hand up. 

However, COVID-19, has turned the event on its ear as a community meal is not possible and volunteers are still needed to prepare take-out meals, work in the kitchen and clean.

You can sign up to volunteer at this link.  

Last year, the annual feast served 684 guests. Carpenter, 54, who has volunteered for 3 years, is taking charge of this year's community meal. She and her volunteers are hoping to feed more people than the years past. ”Especially in a time like this, the most important thing is to make sure everyone has a proper Thanksgiving meal,” she said.

Codie Carpenter shows off some of the 22 turkey breasts cooked by Cobblestone Catering. A turkey dinner with all the fixings will be served in take-out form this year or even delivered.

It was looking and smelling good on Tuesday. Terry Cobb of Cobblestone Catering cooked 22 turkey breasts for the event. And Carpenter cooked 16 more breasts and two full turkeys to bring the total to 40. Gobble, Gobble.

There are enough drippings for gallons of giblet gravy, big pans of green beans, and piles of mashed potatoes. 

“It’s a home-cooked meal,” Carpenter said, noting a few little cheats like pre-cut onions and instant mashers added a layer of efficiency to delivering a tasty plate to locals. Each meal provided will have turkey slices, mash potatoes, stuffing, green beans, a bread roll, cranberry sauce, and a piece of pie. 

“I’m so impressed with how generous the community is with food and donations and time,” added Lea Mathieu, who was helping Carpenter in the kitchen this afternoon. 

Downtown, The Salvation Army’s Captain Ray Morris sat in the chapel, which also served as the storage for their food pantry that has been operating since the beginning of the pandemic. He said they are doing their utmost to provide a safe, sanitary, and clean environment from which volunteers can provide meals to those picking it up.

Salvation Army Capt. Ray Morris and Business Manager Kris Harmon were manning the phones on Tuesday afternoon and looking for volunteers for The Dalles Community Thanksgiving Dinner. The meal will be either delivered or offered through take-out.

“We’re trying to make people feel comfortable across the board while following guidelines to make sure everyone is safe,” he said, noting masks, gloves and sanitizer will be available to all. “We’re taking safety up another notch.” He also said they were ensuring food safety, for example, by using Sterno to ensure that food stays at the right temperature until plated.

While Morris talked, Salvation Army’s Business Manager Kris Harmon was answering phone calls from people in search of a meal on Thanksgiving. It’s tough times for many.   

To pick up a meal or get it delivered, you can call and place an order at (541) 296-6417. Or you can wait outside the drive-thru line at St. Mary's Academy at 1112 Cherry Heights Rd, The Dalles, from noon to 3 p.m. Volunteers will hand out prepared meals.

Carpenter said she was a bit more relaxed in the job of organizing the food this year. But also pointed out that people are really needing assistance. 

“I have been volunteering at the food pantry since the pandemic started,” she said, noting she goes to the Salvation Army each day after work at Gorge Country Media.