PORT ANGELES — Andrew Florence is a long way from home.
Yet Florence, 12, found a way to lend a helping hand while he spends Thanksgiving with grandparents and cousins in Port Angeles, 833 miles from Santa Rosa, Calif.
“I’m in the Civil Air Patrol, and we do a lot of community service with that group,” Florence said.
Florence talked while he and 34 other volunteers were gearing up for the start of the Salvation Army’s Thanksgiving meal Wednesday in Port Angeles.
The volunteers served 210 hot turkey meals with all the trimmings on the day before Thanksgiving.
Mildred Englund had put her eager grandson, Florence, in touch with her sister-in-law, Linda Whalsten. Whalsten was part of the Kiwanis Club contingent who volunteers at the meal.
“I knew we’d be able to find him a worthwhile experience,” Whalsten said.
More than last year
Sue Williams, who coordinated the event, said about 170 meals were served in 2007 — about 40 less than Wednesday.
“I’m anticipating this to be one of the larger dinners that I’ve seen in Port Angeles,” Major Hal Hads of the Port Angeles Salvation Army said before the meal.
Both Williams and Hads attributed the increase in the number of meals served to a poor economy and word of mouth.
“I think the economy had a lot to do with it,” Williams said. “A lot of people are out of work.”
Hads noted that other community organizations are providing meals to the hungry this Thanksgiving.
Before the crowd filed into the dining hall, a line stretched out the doors of the Salvation Army center, up the driveway to Peabody St.
“We’re down to the wire, guys,” Williams announced before the meal. “We’re getting close.”
The early birds filled the tables inside the dining hall, and more were served as the first wave filed out.
Teens ‘step up’
Hads said he was pleased to see so many young people helping out.
“The teenagers really stepped up,” Hads said.
Six students volunteered from the Port Angeles School District Lincoln High School, an accredited high school formerly known as Choice Alternative School.
Caleb Heinig worked in the kitchen doing dishes and “helping out, just doing whatever needs to be done,” while the other five teens served dessert out in the dining hall.
“My principal just asked me to come down,” Heinig said.
Annie Mackey of Lincoln High said their volunteer service had noting to do with extra credit.
Lincoln’s leadership and ASP programs incorporate volunteer service, and the students were there because they wanted to be, she said.
Mackey staffed the dessert line with classmates Lydia Turney, Stephanie Ulbrich, Samantha Ellis and Jenessa Stevens.
Dori Hutt was one of the Salvation Army volunteers who worked all week to prepare for Wednesday’s meal.
Hutt said she got involved with Salvation Army after her son had heart transplant surgery. She now has six hours of free time daily while her son is away at school.
“Instead of sitting at home eating bonbons and watching TV, I come down here,” Hutt said.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-417-3537 or at rob.ollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
