Church To Offer Free Thanksgiving Meal

Those looking for a place to enjoy a free Thanksgiving meal are invited to enjoy food and fellowship at Hopewell Church, 2286 Hopewell Road, Elverson, on Thursday, Nov. 27, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. For those unable to dine in person, there will also be takeout meals ready for pickup, with free delivery available for those who live within 5 miles of the church.

The event, being held for the fifth time at the church, is being organized by congregation member Misty Stoltzfus, who started the outreach to honor her father, who passed away on Thanksgiving several years ago.

Between 50 to 75 diners ate at the church last year, she said, noting that the buffet-style meal is served in the church's fellowship hall, which is decorated with a fall theme.

"Between the pickup and delivery orders and the people that came to the church, we fed around 150 people," she reported.

This year's menu will include turkey, mashed potatoes, green beans and corn, cranberry sauce and rolls and beverages. For dessert, there will be homemade pumpkin and apple pie.

The food will be prepared by local chef Jamie Francis, who will come to the church earlier in the week to prepare the turkeys. "He has his own catering business," noted Stoltzfus.

As in years past, the turkeys are being donated by the Twin Valley Food Pantry. The potatoes are donated by Mast Farm - Paul Mast is a church member - and apple cider is provided by Weaver's Orchard. Local farmers donate corn, which is frozen fresh over the summer.

Stoltzfus pointed out that the meal has become a tradition for several area families and individuals. Notably, a 99-year-old local resident has had his meal delivered since the program started at the church when he was 95. "His daughter signed him up for a meal, and we will deliver the meal to him," she said.

A Thanksgiving tradition that some people observe is to express what they are thankful for. At the church, there will be a place for diners to write down what they are grateful for as well as to ask for prayers.

Volunteers from the church as well as the community help with meal prep, setup and breakdown. They also donate food items. "About 10 volunteers come to decorate, peel potatoes and prep the cranberry sauce the day before," Stoltzfus said. "The day of, we probably have 60 volunteers." She noted that all volunteers receive a meal as well.

Leftover food from the dinner goes to the Hope Rescue Mission in Reading, which serves homeless men in Berks County.

Stoltzfus said that she plans to continue the free Thanksgiving meal, noting it is ideal for people who are alone and those who do not want to deal with cooking and cleanup, as well as those with no family in the area. "The food is so good; I want people to come," she said. "It's busy, but it's totally worth it. I have been blessed by the people I have met, including people (from the community) and the volunteers. It has been good."

To register for the event, to request delivery or to order a takeout meal by Sunday, Nov. 23, call the church office at 610-286-6308 or email stoltzfusmisty4@gmail.com.

Registration can also be completed by visiting www.hopewellchurch.org, clicking on "Events" and choosing "Thanksgiving Meal" on the calendar.

More information about Hopewell Church is available at http://www.facebook.com/HopewellChurchElverson.