The biggest Thanksgiving dinner in town could be even larger than usual this year.
Each year, the Salvation Army serves a free Thanksgiving dinner at the Hangar on the Wharf for those in need or those who simply want a place to go enjoy a meal with others. Last year, about 400 meals were served. Event Coordinator Victoria Godkin said she expects more than 450 to be served this year.
“I think the need’s greater than it’s been, just watching the economy the last several years,” Godkin said. “There’s more people who are unemployed and more people who seem to be on the streets.”
The meal will be served from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., though Godkin said that if there are people waiting in line or arriving right around 1 p.m., the volunteers won’t turn them away. Godkin said she hasn’t always been involved with counting attendees, but 450 people would make it one of the most well attended Thanksgiving meal in her 18 years working the event.
It’s been a transitional year for the Juneau Corps of the Salvation Army, with new Majors Shane and Gina Halverson just arriving in October after another couple served as interim directors of the corps. Godkin, who has volunteered for the annual dinner for the past 18 years, has been out of town quite a bit this fall.
Despite the transition and Godkin being out of town, though, the corps managed to collect nearly 70 turkeys this fall, Shane Halverson said. That’s an increase of about 15 from last year. Halverson said most of the turkeys are funded through donations, and there’s been a huge amount of individual donations this year from community members.
“They love to help,” Halverson said. “People also just love to come eat and be around people, be around community, friends and family.”
There will be more than 25 volunteers, and many of them mingle and chat with the attendees. Godkin said there are some people who come to the meal every Thanksgiving, but the crowd usually changes drastically from year to year.
Many of the attendees are those struggling to make ends meet, Godkin and Halverson said, but some are simply people who want to spend time with others on Thanksgiving.
“There are a lot of single people in Juneau,” Godkin said. “It services all portions of the community.”
When people attend the dinner, whether they’re homeless individuals, University of Alaska Southeast students a long way from home, Coast Guard service members or just people looking for a community feel, they’ll see some familiar faces. Lt. Gov. Byron Mallott, Sen. Dennis Egan and former Juneau Mayor Bruce Botelho are all expected to be serving food, Godkin said.
The Hangar does much more than merely donate the space for the gathering. Godkin said the Hangar supplies food such as potatoes and stuffing, as well as the cooks to prepare the food. Dick Hand of the Alaska Seafood Company will smoke the turkeys as he does every year, Godkin said.
The food is scheduled to arrive Wednesday, and the volunteers will set everything up on Thursday morning prior to the event. It’s a family event for volunteers, too, as children of the Salvation Army Corps members will serve pumpkin pie as dessert.
Seeing the outpouring of support, whether it’s from volunteers or donors, had both Godkin and Halverson in good spirits Tuesday night.
“We have a very benevolent community,” Godkin said. “That’s really the joy of living in Juneau is the sense of community and how generous people are.”
“And people love Thanksgiving dinners,” Halverson said, smiling.
• Contact reporter Alex McCarthy at 523-2271 or alex.mccarthy@juneauempire.com.
