10,000  for Turkey

(Note:  This is a re-write of an article I wrote 25 years ago about a Thanksgiving that was a bit unusual for me and my co-workers.  I hope you enjoy the updated version and Happy Thanksgiving!)

    How would you entertain 10,000 people for Thanksgiving dinner?  What do you serve that many people in a few hours?  Where do you hold the meal?  While most families spend Thanksgiving attending parades, watching football games and offering thanks – for families, friends, health and other blessings, there are thousands of folks in every community who are less fortunate. 

    Being part of a military family has always struck a personal chord for my husband and me on Thanksgiving.  Over the years, we have opened our home to many military trainees at both Ft. Sam Houston Medical Training Center and Lackland Air Force Base Training Center.  These young military members were away from home, but were able to enjoy a home-cooked meal and relax with us.  But in 1988, my office at the Electronic Security Command (ESC), now Air Intelligence Agency (AIA), jointly decided to volunteer on a much larger scale.  The result was serving turkey to more than 10,000 of our fellow San Antonio community members.

    The annual Thanksgiving Dinner is served to senior citizens and needy members of the San Antonio Community.  The dinner, in its 34^th year, is now called the Raul Jimenez Thanksgiving Dinner, in honor of its founder,  and this year will serve over 25,000 people on Thanksgiving Day.  The purpose of the event is to provide a nourishing meal and companionship for citizens 55 and older. 

    Mr. Jimenez knew what it was like to grow up hungry and needy.  He became a successful businessman and owned a large food products company.  This  was his way of paying back his community and his country for the opportunity to succeed in life.  Food was donated by the Jimenez family and many civic and military organizations.  Mr. Jimenez, in the white outfit greeted some of the guests for the day at the San Antonio Convention Center which was decorated for the big dinner.    

                            

    A few military “youngsters” benefited from a transportation miscue.  The local bus system provided free rides to the dinner as well as to the downtown USO dinner.  Some of the uniformed personnel, unknowingly, hopped on the bus for the Jimenez dinner attendees.  When they arrived at the convention center, each attendee was escorted into the large dining hall and promptly served a complete turkey dinner.  One of the airmen exclaimed, “This is the largest USO dancehall I’ve ever seen”!

    The idea to organize a group to volunteer for this occasion was a joint effort with one of my best friends, Linda (Cabellero) Usborne, Logistics Division, ESC, while I worked in the Acquisition Assistance and Policy Office.  I solicited the support of my husband, Jay, Deputy Commandant of Troops, Defense Language Institute/English Language Center, Lackland AFB.  Linda contacted the ESC Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) Office which donated t-shirts with the ESC command logo.  We proudly wore the bright yellow shirts which brought us even closer as a group.  Our group was small, but energetic and we had a fun time together.

           (From L to R: MAJ Jay Johnson, Linda Usborne, LtCOL Gary Andrews, Derek Andrews, Linda Andrews, Karen Johnson,  TSgt Adolph Ramirez)

    A week prior to the meal, hundreds of volunteers began the monumental preparation of the food.  Skilled chefs directed groups to sift 500 pounds of flour, crack 3,600 eggs, cook 810 gallons of yams, roast 700 pounds of pork trimmings, cook 200 pounds of giblets, bake 1,500 pumpkin pies, ready 10,000 cans of cranberry sauce and roast 550 turkeys, each weighing 30 pounds!  This year’s menu will include 9400 pounds of turkey, 6250 pounds of stuffing, 650 pounds of gravy, 4688 pounds of yams, 4688 pounds of cranberry, 25,000 dinner rolls, and 3000 pumpkin pies! 

    The festivities began around 11am that morning, although all volunteers arrived much earlier to receive instructions.  The National Anthem was played and the Pledge of Allegiance was recited by all.  The San Antonio mayor greeted everyone and mariachi bands played lively music while laughter and noisy chatter permeated the hall.  The local telephone company offered free long distance to anyone wishing to make a call to loved ones.

    Assembly lines were utilized throughout every procedure to make the entire process as smooth as possible.  The volunteers (like our group), seated the guests, served the food, cleared their places, and always provided 2nds or 3rds!  All of us waiting on tables wore yellow armbands so the guests could identify us in case they required assistance. 

    After our shift was over, we were offered a meal, but my heart was already too full of pride to eat.  The day had provided a “full feeling” of helping others and having fun in the process. 

 

    Time and time again as Thanksgiving Day arrives and I give thanks, I think back to that particular day, of the camaraderie and the true spirit of giving in our community.   I also wonder if I can add dining facility experience to my resume?  After all, I do have 10,000 references!  Happy Thanksgiving!