Turkeys are being prepared for Thanksgiving meals at The Mustard Seed. (Photo Courtesy Bob Schneider)

By Chris Brown

Community groups offering Thanksgiving meals for anyone and everyone

Oct 7, 2021 | 3:27 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Medicine Hat organizations are making sure that everyone has a place to go this Thanksgiving weekend.

The Salvation Army Resource Centre and the Mustard Seed are each welcoming anyone and everyone for a meal.

On Friday, the Salvation Army at 476 Fourth St. downtown will provide supper from 5-6 p.m.

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“Some are homeless, some are struggling with addictions, some are worn down or just worn out. So we open our doors to anybody, anybody is welcome here,” says acting manager Valerie Hadwin. “Thanksgiving is a time to spend with family, traditions, food, all those kind of things. So we’re there for them, we’re here to offer hope and encouragement and to welcome them.”

They will serve meals indoors and hand out meals to go after the indoor capacity of 18 people is reached.

The meal will include turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy green beans and apple pie and ice cream.

Hadwin says having the Thanksgiving meal means a lot to everyone who attends.

“We found during COVID a lot of people are isolated a lot of people didn’t get out and just coming together and just offering a meal and just encouragement, hope, just being with them and just you know welcoming them, welcoming them at a time when they should have people with them.”

Sunday from 8-10 a.m. the Mustard Seed will hand out traditional Thanksgiving meals at the front door of the building at 503A Allowance Ave.

Everyone is also welcome, from the vulnerable populations to those who simply feel lonely or uncertain.

Managing director Colette Eirich says they believe a hot meal can be the first step to a new life for many people.

“We feel hope begins with a meal and a lot of our folks, we want to give them that fresh start. So for those people that are experiencing homelessness and poverty, Thanksgiving right now is a great time to start that,” she says.

Both thank the community for their generous donations to help make the meals. Eirich gives special mention to real estate agents Eric Springman and Kevin Gejdos for their donation of 12 turkeys and to local farmers for the donation of vegetables.