Thanksgiving Dinner - 2006 Thanksgiving

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Members of the community gathered Thursday at the Portsmouth Unitarian Universalist (South) Church to enjoy the Portsmouth Rotary Club's 35th annual Thanksgiving Dinner. It was a feast complete with all the Thanksgiving staples: turkey, stuffing, gravy, mashed potatoes, and homemade pie -- to name a few.

More than 100 Rotary members and community volunteers worked to prepare the meal and create a cozy, welcoming environment to help their guests feel at home for the holiday.

Rotarian Betsy Scott said she enjoys helping the familiar faces she sees around town. "This is for the people and to show them support," she said.

The guests were waited on hand and foot by the volunteers, who served whatever the guests desired.

Scott said the smile on her face can't get any bigger than when a guest asks for anything, even just a full cup of coffee. "It gives me such a thrill to make these people feel like there is an overabundance of food just for them, which there is," she said.

To make sure everyone got a chance at Thanksgiving dinner, the Rotary Club also delivered the meal home to some.

For 10 years, Rotarian Jay Levy has organized and dropped off the home deliveries. Lately he has recruited his children for help and uses the day to not only get closer to them, but also to the community. "You make great relationships," he said. "Year after year, this is one of those things people anticipate and look forward to. It's a great thing for everybody."

The event chairman, Donald Coker, said volunteers began preparing the meal Wednesday. Portsmouth Regional Hospital donated the food and the space to cook it. They cooked about 10 turkeys and baked 25 pies to satisfy an expected 125 guests for the sit-down meal and all the home deliveries.