For 10 years, City Church has served Thanksgiving dinner

For the past 10 years, the City Church in Batavia has hosted a Thanksgiving dinner for the community. The first year, they teamed up with Miss Batavia Diner and "hosted" the dinner -- which means that they paid for everyone who came in for a turkey dinner from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

For the following four years, they rented out the First Presbyterian Church's kitchen. For the past three years, they have been hosting the event at their facility.

The day before Thanksgiving is spent organizing food that has been donated from people and businesses in the community, decorating tables, and tying up all the final loose ends.

On Thanksgiving day, they start cooking meals early in the morning so they are prepared when the doors open at 11:00 a.m..

Transportation is provided by the church's bus ministry for those who need it. When people arrive they are met at the door by a “greeter” who welcomes them and gives them any information they might need. Then they are seated in one of the many tables set up in the back of the church. Volunteers go around the room asking people what they would like to eat or drink, while several people in the kitchen constantly cook food.

On average there are usually around 125 people who take part in the event and about 25 of those are usually deliveries.

“This dinner isn't just for the disadvantaged, it's for anyone who would like to have Thanksgiving dinner with other people, or maybe they don't have room for their family at home, so they come here and have dinner with us,” said Debbie Osborn, a City Church member.

If you spent Thanksgiving alone or were crowded in your home, next year remember that there is a place you can go to enjoy a happy, fun filled, peaceful Thanksgiving dinner with other people.