Volunteers give thanks by giving to others

When Gene Kemmer volunteered at the first free thanksgiving dinner hosted by the Henry Davison Youth Group 13 years ago, he and his wife helped cooked the food–from scratch. They pealed enough potatoes and roasted enough turkeys to feed over a hundred people.

Since then, the number of attendees has climbed to several hundred and the organizers had to switch to instant potatoes and stuffing. But the end result is still delicious, Kemmer said.

At its 13th annual free Thanksgiving dinner Saturday, the Henry Davison Youth Center served a full Thanksgiving meal to hundreds of homeless people and those in need.

Kemmer said event used to be held at the Henry Davison Youth Center, where they had several ovens and ample cooking space. But that space was flooded out in 2008 and this year the event was held at the old Ace Hardware building on J Street. They relied on volunteer electricians to help create a makeshift kitchen in a back room.

“We get by. You work with what you got,” Kemmer said.

Volunteers roasted turkeys and hams at home and brought them to the event cooked and hot. They served 30 birds in total.

It's well worth the effort, according to the organization's founder and CEO Henry Davison.

“People need it, that's evident. See how many folks are eating?” Davison asked.

The organization raffled off 80 gift certificates for a free ham or turkey from Hy-Vee. Attendees were also given a bag of canned goods on their way out the door.

Davison said the event is held on the weekend before Thanksgiving because it allows the people who received this food to have it ready for their family's on Thanksgiving day.

But the Thanksgiving meal on Saturday is the only opportunity for some, said Conrad Ramsey, the event organizer.

“There are a lot of people who don't have the ability to do it themselves. If you take them food, they don't have a stove to cook it on,” Ramsey said.

Ramsey, who was up since 4:30 a.m. for the event, said that although he's seen his share of hard times, he's also been fortunate, and he wants to share that.

“I feel the need in my heart to (help people),” he said. “I've been blessed, and the blessings I've had I want to pass it on.”