CHIMACUM – Larry Jones, lap-steel guitarist with the Shameless band and owner of the Lawn & Order gardening firm, spent his Thanksgiving doing something completely different.
The Port Townsend resident was chief dishwasher at the Tri-Area Community Center in Chimacum on Thursday, where 150 people sat down for a free Thanksgiving feast.
Jones washed and rinsed from 11:30 a.m. until 4 p.m., and planned on eating his own dinner later.
Kathy Monks, another volunteer, said post-feast cleanup was a “low stress, no-travel” way to spend Thanksgiving.
She drove from Discovery Bay to help with the event, sponsored by St. Mary Star of the Sea Church of Port Townsend and the Olympic Community Action Programs.
Volunteers also delivered Thanksgiving dinners to 75 homebound people across Jefferson County, said Chris Eagan, who came with his wife Carolyn from Shine to coordinate the feast.
The feast, which has been served for more than a decade, this year featured nine 20-pound turkeys cooked by Macadoo’s Barbeque, 300 rolls donated by Pan d’Amore of Port Townsend, plus potatoes, carrots and desserts.
“Yes, we had leftovers,” Eagan said.
“We encouraged people to take them home, and they did.”
There was still more, however, so he said the rest of the leftovers will be given to OlyCAP for the meals served to seniors Monday through Friday at the Tri-Area Community Center, 10 West Valley Road.
As for the volunteers, they said they were planning to have more Thanksgivings at home this weekend.
“We’re stretching it out,” Monks said with a smile.
