The annual community Thanksgiving feast at the Tri-Area Community Center in Chimacum served 306 meals Thursday.
The free meal, sponsored by the St. Vincent de Paul Society of St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Church and Olympic Community Action Programs, began at noon.
“It started slow, but it picked up after that,” said volunteer Hugh Murphy, who coordinates the volunteer effort for the annual feast, recruiting some 50 people.
The volunteer job for the feast is always in demand, Murphy has said.
About 15 potential volunteers had to be told they weren’t needed.
“When I tell them that we can’t use them, they get mad at us,” Murphy said.
Some meals were delivered to homes.
Pianist Nan Toby Tyrrell performed live music as she has done nearly every year since moving to the area in 1991.
A community feast also was held in Brinnon.
No information was available last week on how many were served.
Port Angeles
The fourth annual community Thanksgiving dinner in the Queen of Angels gym drew a record crowd Thursday for what has quickly become the largest free holiday feast on the North Olympic Peninsula.
“It was wonderful,” said Reath Ellefson, feast organizer.
“We served between 500 and 600 people today.”
Queen of Angels, a Port Angeles Catholic church, provides the space for the free community meal and celebration that Ellefson initiated in 2008.
In addition to the annual holiday gift raffle, this year’s community dinner featured the distribution of coats, hats, gloves and scarfs.
Elsewhere on the Peninsula, Hardy’s Market employee Maggie Parks said this year’s free Thanksgiving meal in Sequim drew an estimated 150.
“It was a great turnout,” Parks said. “The whole place was packed.”
About 100 meals were served at Hardy’s Market last Thanksgiving, Parks said.
Hardy puts on the free Thanksgiving feast to thank customers for their support.
Turnout for the Serenity House of Clallam County community Thanksgiving dinner at the Single Adult Shelter was also not available, a Serenity House employee said.
A free meal also was served in Forks.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-417-3537 or at rob.ollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
