Curbside community Thanksgiving feeds hundreds in Pahrump

Thanksgiving is a time for family and friends, for coming together in celebration of all the wonderful things that there are to be thankful for.

This year, with the COVID-19 pandemic still raging across the U.S., Thanksgiving looked quite a bit different for many, including the Pahrump community, where the holiday is generally accompanied by a huge public gathering during the community Thanksgiving Dinner.

Despite the restrictions imposed by COVID-19, however, the Pahrump Holiday Task Force was able switch gears from the usual sit-down event, turning to a meal pickup only model that allowed the committee to carry on the tradition of a community Thanksgiving event while minding all COVID-19 guidelines to help ensure the safety and health of all involved.

Hosted Thursday, Nov. 26 at the NyE Communities Coalition, the Thanksgiving event was declared an incredible triumph.

“The first ever Curbside Pickup Thanksgiving Dinner provided by the Pahrump Holiday Task Force was a huge success!” Pahrump Holiday Task Force Chair Linda Wright said with obviously delight following the event. “We took on a ‘new, out-of-the-box’ idea to be able to still provide the holiday meal for our community. We weren’t sure if it would work but, with the help of our community partners and some awesome volunteers, it all came together this Thanksgiving.”

The event did not come without its hurdles, Wright acknowledged. “Our biggest challenge was making sure we had enough food and making sure we followed all of the COVID-19 guidelines,” she said. Even in the face of these obstacles, however, with perseverance and determination, the task force was able to reimagine was has become a beloved tradition in the Pahrump community and pivot to the pickup only model without a hitch.

In total, Wright reported that 800 meals were packaged and handed out throughout the three and a half hours that volunteers were on site, bringing the freshly cooked feast straight to the vehicles of those who turned out.

Of course, the Pahrump Holiday Task Force would not have been able to pull off the curbside pickup dinner without the help of many, many others. Wright was sure to offer her gratitude to the nearly three dozen volunteers who gave their time and energy on Thanksgiving Day to ensure those in the community were served as quickly and efficiently as possible, both by working hard in the kitchens and by greeting attendees and delivering the meals to their cars.

“We want to give a special thank you to our cooks this year, Jason, Kevin and Eddie,” Wright stated. “The turkeys turned out great and were delicious! And also to the Nye County Sheriff’s Office, as they helped with the cooking as well. And thanks to our wonderful volunteers who came and prepared the meals. We couldn’t have done it without you. Thanks for making the Curbside Pickup Thanksgiving Dinner a success.”

A bevy of local businesses and organizations earned the gratitude of the task force as well, with these entities providing the cash and donations necessary to bring the event together.

Sponsors and donors for the Thanksgiving event included Saddle West Hotel and Casino, Nevada Realty, the Rotary Club of the Pahrump Valley, St. Martin’s in the Desert Episcopal Church, the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #10054 Auxiliary, P-Town Air Inc., Signs Express, C&S Waste Solutions of Nevada/Pahrump Valley Disposal, the Nye County Sheriff’s Office and Sheriff’s Auxiliary, Valley Electric Association, Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church, Nathan Adelson Hospice, Albertsons, Smith’s, Amerigas, All About You Day Spa, B&C Printing, the NyE Communities Coalition and Heritage Bible Church, along with John and Nancy Walker, Sharon Tate and Wright and her husband Bill.

Though Thanksgiving may now be a thing of the past, the Pahrump Holiday Task Force’s hard work is far from over as the group turns its attention to the next major holiday, Christmas. To prepare for this massive undertaking, the task force will be meeting weekly each Monday at noon at Heritage Bible Church, 3061 Heritage Drive and anyone willing to lend a hand is welcome to join in the meetings.

“We are accepting donations for Christmas,” Wright said, adding, “And I have it on good authority that Santa will be attending our Christmas Curbside Pickup Dinner on Christmas Eve!”

The Pahrump Holiday Task Force has scheduled its Christmas Curbside Pickup Dinner event for Christmas Eve, Thursday, Dec. 24 from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the NyE Communities Coalition.

“We look forward to seeing everyone on Christmas Eve for the Pahrump Holiday Task Force Christmas Curbside Pickup Dinner,” Wright concluded.

For more information on the Pahrump Holiday Task Force or its upcoming Christmas event contact Wright at Wright.la.vfw@gmail.com

Contact reporter Robin Hebrock at rhebrock@pvtimes.com