A few months ago, regulars at the Shepherd's Table fellowship kitchen at Our Lady of Hope parish hall in Coal Township noticed someone was missing.
"There were a couple of weeks where someone who ate here every week wasn't showing up," said the Rev. Adrian Gallagher, pastor. "People kept asking if we knew anything."
Eventually, someone who takes part in the free community meal each Thursday went to the missing man's home to check on him. All was OK.
"That's the kind of relationships that we are forming here," Gallagher said.
The fellowship that develops from this and other volunteer outreach efforts is perhaps as important as the food. This need has led to the development of not only Shepherd's Table, but God's Grub at Restoration Ministries Church in Shamokin and the recently established Chuck Wagon Soup Kitchen, along with other weekly and annual efforts.
On this Thanksgiving Day, as families gather to share a meal and their blessings, local organizations and churches continue their efforts to provide such nourishment to the community.
In church, on the street
Last Thursday at the Shepherd's Table, volunteers served more than 250 turkey dinners for anyone who walked through the door. But they also served up fellowship.
"For many of the people who come here, this is the only interaction that they may have with others," Gallagher said. "They gather around the table with friends who they may not encounter otherwise." (Shepherd's table is not open today.)
While God's Grub works toward reopening for its weekly Monday night meal after dealing with flooding issues, Chuck Wagon founder James Bowers, along with his wife, Janet, are offering soup from the back of their vehicle every Monday evening on Independence Street. On a recent Monday, they served 37 people.
"We just want to continue what we think God has called us to do," James Bowers said. "Make sure that no one goes hungry."
Bowers has always envisioned a mobile soup kitchen, and he hopes to purchase a vehicle equipped with a grill and stove. A spaghetti dinner to raise money will be held Saturday, Dec. 3, at Mountainside Assembly of God Church, Trevorton Road, Coal Township; a cookie sale is planned that day, too.
"One day, Independence Street, maybe the next at Raspberry Hill or some other location," Bowers said, mentioning one of Shamokin's public housing facilities.
For now, the Bowers serve from in front of the WIC office, no questions asked.
"We serve people walking by, and give them something to warm their bellies," Bowers said. "We just want to continue what we think God has called us to do, make sure that no one goes hungry."
Idea spreads
After seeing the work that fellowship kitchens in Shamokin have been doing the past several years, parishioners at First United Methodist Church, Kulpmont, wanted to help those in their community.
The church's United Methodist Women's group soon established Angels Table, a monthly luncheon.
"Several people within the church got together and wanted a way to reach out to the community," church pastor Beverly Petrovich said. "We put up fliers in the senior centers and in other community spots and invited everyone for lunch."
Held every second Saturday, Angels Table hosted 50 people for an early Thanksgiving dinner Nov. 12.
As is the case for the other outreach efforts, Petrovich said Angels Table serves a two-fold purpose.
"We feed their physical need for food and their spiritual need for companionship, which in some cases is the greater need," Petrovich said.
Annual traditions
Some groups have made getting together for the holidays an annual tradition. Church of the Nazarene in Lavelle and the Ashland Rotary Club held their community Thanksgiving meals earlier this month. The church served 279 people while the Rotary prepared 150 meals, some of them delivered to local high-rises.
"I think this is great," Rotary President A. James Gruber said at his group's Nov. 12 meal. "It's free to those who can't afford their own turkey dinner or just somebody who is going to be alone on Thanksgiving. They can come here and have a meal with others."
Holy Angels Church, Kulpmont will host a community Thanksgiving dinner today from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Guests will enjoy fresh-baked pies for dessert, donated by Salem United Church of Christ, Coal Township.
"Last year, we kind of did this on the fly, and served about 60 to 70 dinners," head cook Rob Balonis said Wednesday. "This year, we put the word out and I'm cooking about 200 pounds of turkey right now for Thanksgiving Day."
Trevorton Community Ambulance has begun preparation for its fourth annual Community Christmas Dinner, set for Dec. 3, starting at noon.
"We started the dinner with the idea to help people when oil prices were through the roof," said ambulance president Gene Geise. "My wife, Margaret, was the one who came up with the idea to do this, and it's taken off."
This year, Geise said, volunteers will prepare 200 pounds of turkey and all the trimmings to make meals for about 400 people in Zerbe and East and West Cameron townships.
"It's our way of saying thank you for the public that has supported our ambulance company for the past 40 years," he said.
Not only will the ambulance service serve a family style meal to those who come to their building at 626 W. Shamokin St., they are accepting orders to deliver meals to the elderly and homebound.
"We will cook for three days that week, starting with the pies for dessert on Thursday, then making more food on Friday before the dinner on Saturday," Geise said. "We have people that are looking to help and (state Rep.) Kurt Masser donated the turkeys for the meal."
Geise is impressed by Shepherd's Table, God's Grub and other weekly programs
"I know the work we do for one meal, so with these groups that do a meal like this every week, God bless them," he said.
'Double-edge blessing'
The joy that fills the halls where such dinners and meals are held is not limited to those eating the free food. Those that cook, clean and serve benefit, too.
"The amount of times that I've helped, there is such a feeling of joy you get for being able to do such a thing," Petrovich said. "It's a double-edge blessing. You are getting back so much more than you give out."
With a morning crew prepping the meal and a second group serving it, Gallagher said the camaraderie is overwhelming, and that flows to attendees.
"We all joke around with each other here," he said, "and it brings out such positive feelings. It's such a blessing to have an opportunity to give that fellowship that the Gospel calls for to those who need it."
"It is such a great feeling to see the smiles on everyone's faces when someone brings them a meal or see someone enjoy dinner," said Geise about Trevorton's effort. "Last year, we had two families that had lost touch with each other and they sat there for two hours, just talking and eating. That's what its all about."
(Times-Shamrock Writer John E. Usalis contributed to this report.)