Thursday, November 18, 2010

Thanksgiving











Wow, the day is only a week away. It seems this year is flying by. Our reservation list is nearly full but every hour still has a spot or two because of cancellations. I spent much of yesterday insuring that the larger reservations were indeed seniors and not just large families. Our goal with this event is to be the family for seniors who don't have family around. I think, for the most part, we are getting that message out.

Now, we are looking for shut ins. So, if you know anyone that might fit in that category or who cannot afford the meal, please let us know. We don't wish anyone to be left out.

I noticed while looking at the reservation list that one couple had paid for their delivery ahead of time. When I quizzed the cashier, he told me that the last time the were delivered to, the delivery man said that he was covering the cost and they wanted to beat him to it. That would be Al, from Exquisite Hardware Floors, who will once again be one of our delivery people. He decided that he was going to cover the cost of all of his deliveries as a special holiday treat from him.

This year, we have decided to donate our tips and extra money to the Family Access Network. This awesome organization helps out families that are struggling with the specific goal to keep the children of that family in school thus assisting them to make their future life better to where they can better fend for themselves and not need such assistance. So, it sort of handles two problems with one hit. We can help out the disadvantaged and help them to help themselves in the future. Our only request is that we want to know specifically where the money will go and not to just the general fund. I have been assured that will happen and since I know both Kristi Miller (the head of FAN) and Cynthia Jorgensen (The FAN advocate), I feel pretty confident that this will be the case.

We have added a new face to our list of entertainers this year also. Dave Reno is a singer songwriter who moved to the area from Alaska and sang to the Band of Brothers a couple of weeks ago. He is a very good man and I look forward to his interaction with the seniors. This year also, we have the return of the Singing Sosas who were our very first entertainers. I have changed one thing, however, in that the singers will stop at the half hour so that we can start to make ready for the next hour or next shift of seniors. In the past, when the entertainment has been very good, the seniors tend to stay longer (and who can blame them) thus making it harder to sit the next group.

This event while being the biggest and hardest to coordinate has become the most fulfilling and truly the biggest blessing of our year.

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