As the holiday season approaches, Lewis Family McDonald’s has begun preparing for their annual Thanksgiving Day Dinner.

The dinner, started in 1989 by the Chester Carey Family, is now in its 11th year under the Lewis family.

The dinner will be held on Thursday, Nov. 26, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Lima Veteran’s Memorial Civic and Convention Center.

“We recognize the importance of having a place for people to eat and fellowship on a special day like Thanksgiving,” says Jerry Lewis. “Our community continues to support the event by donating clothes and groceries and by serving at the dinner.”

The dinner includes the traditional Thanksgiving fixings, including turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, stuffing, pumpkin pie, and more.

Enough food will be prepared to feed 3,200 guests. More than 800 pounds of turkey, 800 pounds of mashed potatoes, 540 pounds of stuffing, 300 pounds of gravy, more than 200 pies, and 24 pounds of whipped cream will be prepared that day.

The dinner is free and open to the public and everyone is welcome.

“Guests join us because they are not able to prepare a meal, do not have relatives in town this year, or simply want to fellowship with others in the community that day. We become a family that day,” says Lewis.

In addition to the dinner, there will be clothing and grocery giveaways.

Only Believe Ministries in Botkins will bring a school bus filled with clothing. Guests will be able to take with them any needed clothing items, including pants, shirts, shoes, coats, and hats.

As in years past, each guest will be able to take home bags of groceries in addition to the hot meal they receive.

“Thanks to our many community partners, we’re able to provide enough food for several meals beyond the meal they receive that day,” says Lewis.

The grocery giveaway is made possible through the generous donations of many local organizations including the Boy Scouts of Allen County, Childers Media Group, and Save-A-Lot Food Stores.

The Boy Scouts are currently collecting non-perishable food and toiletry items during business hours at the Scout Shop, located at 752 W. Robb Ave. in Lima.

New Country 92.1 The Frog and Sport Radio 93.1, part of a five-station radio group known as Childers Media Group, and Save-A-Lot Food Stores have also teamed up again this year for a Cram the Van event to collect items for the Thanksgiving Day Dinner.

Various Childers Media Group radio stations will be at two Save-A-Lot Food Stores in Lima—Cole and Bellefontaine—on Monday and Tuesday, Nov. 23 and 24.

For every $3 donation that a customer adds to their bill, one bag of groceries will be donated to the Thanksgiving Day Dinner.

Free transportation to and from the event will be provided if needed. RTA will have one bus running from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day to transport people to and from the dinner.

The bus will stop at Pilgrim Place Apartments, The Towers Apartments, Furl Williams Apartments, Lima West Apartments, and along Brower Road.

“Our community’s willingness to give up their own Thanksgiving to serve one another is truly amazing,” says Lewis.

The community partners that help make the Thanksgiving Day Dinner possible include: New Country 92.1 The Frog and Childers Media Group, Save-A-Lot Food Stores, The Boy Scouts of Allen County, Republic Services, Coca-Cola, Only Believe Ministries, New Horizons Baking Company, Dickerson Wrightway Food Service, Allen County RTA, Lima Allen County Veteran’s Memorial and Civic Convention Center, D&D Ingredient Distributors, and Miller’s Textile Service.

Accepting volunteers
At this time, Lewis Family McDonald’s is accepting volunteers for its afternoon shift—noon to 2:30 p.m. For more information about the Lewis Family McDonald’s Thanksgiving Day Dinner, or to sign up to volunteer, please visit www.LewisFamilyMcDonalds.com/community or call (419) 225-5916.