Get ready to gobble up Thanksgiving
The Pahrump Holiday Task Force is ready to roll right into Thanksgiving, with all of the preparations for its yearly Community Thanksgiving Dinner falling easily into place and a host of volunteers awaiting the chance to serve their fellow residents this holiday. Whether readers are in the mood to forgo the cost and energy of making their own extensive meal or simply want to spend the day with others, they’ll find a warm welcome at the Community Thanksgiving Dinner.
“Everything is going great, we’re getting a lot of donations this year!” Pahrump Holiday Task Force and event lead Linda Wright-Smith told the Pahrump Valley Times this week. “And that’s without even having to go and ask for anything. All we’ve been doing is putting our flyer out earlier and I’ve been getting so many people, even people from Las Vegas, calling to ask if they can donate. Every day I’m getting people calling to volunteer and I haven’t even done any interviews yet! People are just really stepping up this year.”
Wright-Smith said she puts this down partially to the state of the economy - with those who can being inspired to help those who can’t. But more, it seems the task force’s quarterly holiday gatherings, which are a regular hit, have solidified its reputation as a cornerstone of the Pahrump community.
“I just have to touch bases with our partners. We’ve become so well-established that all people ask is if it’s still on for this year,” Wright-Smith enthused.
The one query she said she has encountered this year is whether the task force will be providing delivered meals. “No, we’re not. The only thing we do outside of the buffet at the coalition is, we make meals for homebound or bedbound patients, through organizations like Nathan Adelson Hospice, which contact us to sign up for them and then come and pick them up the day-of. But we don’t do general deliveries.”
However, everybody is invited to head out to the coalition to join in the meal, regardless of age, background or financial status. On the menu will be the classic roasted turkey, along with mashed potatoes, gravy, veggies, rolls, cranberry sauce and, for dessert, a selection of pies. Local Elvis impersonator Johnny V is slated to provide some entertainment as well.
“It’s an event for people to come together – people who don’t have anyone or who just want to enjoy a good meal with the community. That’s what the Pahrump Holiday Task Force is all about; bringing the community together and making everyone feel a part of it, one event at a time,” Wright-Smith remarked.
The Community Thanksgiving Dinner is set for Thursday, Nov. 27 at the NyE Communities Coalition Activities Center, 1020 E. Wilson Road. Doors will open at 11 a.m. and the meal runs until 2 p.m.
For more information or to donate, contact PahrumpHolidayTaskForce@gmail.com
Contact reporter Robin Hebrock at rhebrock@pvtimes.com
