No Du Quoin Community Thanksgiving, But Volunteers Will Feed 90 on Thursday

Despite the best efforts of a community group of volunteers called the Lord's Community Supper, last year's community Thanksgiving Day dinner at the Du Quoin Middle School was not well attended and for that reason the group rethought how it could best help the community.

According to chairman Larry Alvarado, a career educator and head of the Builder's Club at the Du Quoin Middle School, the group this year will fall back on directly helping about 90 individuals who live in the community.

They could be senior residents of the high rises or people who may be alone at Thanksgiving. They have already been identified. There are no "tickets" or vouchers or community invitations.

Instead, these are people who could just use a good Thanksgiving dinner to lift their spirits and allow them to enjoy the day without cooking.

BJ's Garden Restaurant on West Main Street in Du Quoin is donating its staff and time to put the meals together.

Between 9:30 and 11 a.m. about 10 volunteers will help owner Kent Leek assemble about 90 meals for residents of the community, then deliver them.

The Lord's Community Supper volunteers were organized about three years ago.

Years ago, the late Gene Morris brought together the resources of the community for the first community Thanksgiving dinner at the American Legion.

So, the good works continue.