Returning volunteers to cook up a free community Thanksgiving dinner at Mister Bagel in Gorham are, from left, Jim Liberty, Thad Moody and Fire Chief Bob Lefebvre. Courtesy photo
GORHAM — Thirty volunteers are pitching in to make sure folks in Gorham and beyond don’t miss out on a traditional turkey meal on Thanksgiving. They’ll even deliver.
This is the 10th year for the dinner provided by local donors and volunteers and organized by Roxanne Moody. Her daughter, Heather, owner of the Mister Bagel restaurant on New Portland Road, donates the use of the facility.
Several workers have volunteered since the inception of the meal, including Thad Moody, Roxanne’s husband. He said he’ll arrive at the bagel shop in the wee hours next Thursday.
“I cook the turkeys,” he said, adding that his wife is in charge at the event. “I just take marching orders.”
The menu includes the works – roast turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, squash, peas, carrots, cranberry sauce and homemade pies.
“Everything is fresh,” Thad Moody said.
Fire Chief Robert Lefebvre will arrive at 6 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day to carve the turkeys, Moody said. Jim Liberty will assist with preparations all day Wednesday and on Thanksgiving Day will report at 8 a.m.
Last year the volunteers roasted 150 pounds of turkey and mashed 50 pounds of potatoes, which were peeled by fire department personnel. They dished up more than 100 meals. In the nine previous years, the volunteers have fed more than 1,000 people, Moody said.
The meal is free but donations will be accepted for the Gorham Ecumenical Food Pantry. Last year’s donations generated $932 for the pantry.
Diners can eat in, pick up meals or request deliveries within a radius of 15 miles of Gorham Village to Portland, South Portland, Scarborough, Standish, Westbrook and Windham.
“The drivers – I can’t tell you enough about them,” Moody said.
For reservations, contact Roxanne Moody at 839-4516 or email trmoody75.rm@gmail.com.
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