You've probably heard the old proverb "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade." But what do you do when life gives you turkeys?

If you're Alicia Doss, you start an annual tradition of hosting a free community meal.

Doss works as a housecleaner. In 2022, many of her clients gifted her a turkey for Thanksgiving, and she started brainstorming ways she could make sure the plethora of poultry wouldn't go to waste. With the help of her mother, Marsha Roten, Doss decided to organize a free Thanksgiving meal for members of the community. Doss is the auxiliary president of Robert Fulton Fire Company, and she handles its fire hall rentals. The fire company happily agreed to host the holiday event, and its personnel began volunteering to help Doss and Roten as the event gained traction.

The annual Thanksgiving dinner will return to Robert Fulton Fire Company, 2271 Robert Fulton Highway, Peach Bottom, on Thursday, Nov. 26. From noon to 3 p.m., community members may enjoy a dine-in only meal that will include various traditional Thanksgiving dishes, such as turkey, ham, sweet potatoes, green beans, homemade stuffing and an assortment of desserts.

Although the dinner itself is the centerpiece of the community event, Doss said she sees it as much more than just a meal. "I always decorate every table in the fire hall to make it feel more like a house, and we usually have the Macy's Day Parade playing on a big screen," Doss said. "We want to give people that homey feeling so they feel welcomed."

Sixty-five people attended the first Thanksgiving meal, which has since grown into an annual tradition that served nearly 300 community members last year. To sustain the event as it continues to grow, Doss relies on donations of food and monetary contributions in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving. After the first meal, local organizations and small businesses began contacting Doss to offer their help.

Despite anticipating even more guests this year, Doss said she has not received many donations yet. This year's event will be partially funded by the remainder of a previous donation from Putting Others First, a local philanthropy partnership operated by an anonymous husband and wife.

In addition to receiving food items and monetary donations for the Thanksgiving meal, Doss sets up the Blessings Table, which is stocked with other miscellaneous items such as gently used blankets, clothing and shoes. In previous years, donations have included items such as new toothbrushes and other toiletries, as well as any food that was not used to make the meal. Community members may take what they need from the Blessings Table at no cost.

Doss said that every year someone tells her that without the Thanksgiving meal they wouldn't have had anywhere to spend the holiday. "Some people don't have families to be with. They like to stick around and just enjoy the fellowship," added Doss. "We keep doing it every year because the community is our family."

For more information or to learn how to support the event, call Doss at 717-875-8255.