Whaley UMC to host Thanksgiving luncheon

Local News

Related Photos

Whaley United Methodist Church volunteers serve turkey and side dishes at last year’s community Thanksgiving meal. File photo

Guest Book

November 20, 2012

Whaley UMC to host Thanksgiving luncheon

By GREG RUSSELL, Register Staff Writer Gainesville Daily Register The Daily Register Tue Nov 20, 2012, 08:03 AM CST

Gainesville — Lonely and hungry area residents have an avenue of relief this week thanks to the efforts of Gainesville’s Whaley United Methodist Church.

A free Thanksgiving dinner is set for 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday at Stanford House, 401 W. Garnett St.

Church administrator Stephanie Stogdill said roughly 400 locals are expected to dine on turkey, dressing and homemade desserts via take-out or walk-in visits.

The year 2012, she added, represents the 19th holiday season in a row that Whaley organizers have reached out to feed the populace.

“It’s not broken and we’re not fixing it,” Stogdill said Monday.

But Stogdill said the event is not simply about providing food to the financially challenged.

“I think we probably have as many who come for the fellowship, so that they’re not alone on the holidays, as we do people who are literally hungry,” she said. “It’s just a joy and a privilege to be able to offer that.”

Whaley organizer Brenda Hinkle agreed — and explained that the free annual dinner began as an outreach to the homeless before officials realized their church wasn’t the ideal place to offer this service.

“The first year we had it, we had about 20 people show up,” Hinkle said. “And then we figured out there weren’t a great deal of homeless people wanting to go to church on Thanksgiving Day.”

The event endured, however, and Stanford House became its home.

And Hinkle said that through the years, the meal has become something quite beyond free eating.

“For whatever reason, we weren’t necessarily feeding the homeless,” she said. “Yes, there are probably those who can’t afford the food and this is certainly free. But year after year, we see the same people who come because they don’t have anywhere else to go.”

Hinkle said the Stanford House provides the public a setting where they can visit and dine on Thanksgiving Day without facing a church sermon, even though it’s a local church that has made the event possible.

And those who visit each year with “nowhere else to go,” she added, are not mentally ill or dangerous.

They are just alone.

“It’s just filling a space of loneliness because there are a lot of lonely people,” Hinkle said. “When they come here, you can look out there and see them laughing and visiting.”

Hinkle added that beyond feeding visitors, the Whaley dinner also results in hundreds of take-out meals for local recipients of the Meals on Wheels program.

In some cases, those who visit the Stanford House in need are given extra Thanksgiving food to deliver to others in a similar position.

“We can’t have enough help for those who need it, and I think with this economy, there’s always the need,” Hinkle said. “There are people who never thought they would be in the shape they’re in, and this makes their holiday a little bit easier.”

Text Only

Local News

Fletcher: West Nile precautions underway
Recent humidity has brought the promise of mosquito breeding and the collateral threat of West Nile Virus.
And while local officials say there is no current evidence of the pathogen, they admit they expect it.

May 25, 2013 1 Photo
Blumberg finds calling as reading teacher
At the May 20 Gainesville Independent School District (GISD) board meeting, Callisburg graduate and Edison Elementary School first grade teacher Jamie Blumberg was chosen as the elementary teacher of the month for the GISD. Gainesville High School teacher Melissa Hutchison was named secondary teacher of the month.

May 25, 2013 1 Photo
Grand jury hands down indictments
The Cooke County Grand Jury recently released a slate of criminal indictments, filed during the past week.

May 25, 2013
Morton Museum gets dolled up for summer
The Morton Museum of Cooke County is gearing up for a full slate of summer programs including children’s tea parties, doll exhibits from across America, private tours and other events designed for both kids and adults.
“We are building on the huge success of our recent auction and fundraiser by planning many wonderful events throughout the summer for our community,” museum director Jayleane Smith said. “ This will be a wonderful time for groups to come to the museum and see our new exhibits.

May 25, 2013 1 Photo
City employee of the month
Gainesville Human Resources Coordinator Jo Ann Mendez, left, was named “Employee of the Month” for May 2013 during Tuesday’s regular city council meeting. City manager Barry Sullivan presented the award.

May 25, 2013 1 Photo
Summer Sounds series returns to Gainesville
This year’s three-installment “Summer Sounds” outdoor concert series begins Friday, May 31, in downtown Gainesville, with Austin-based rockabilly musician Junior Brown serving as headliner.

May 24, 2013 2 Photos
Kiwanis Club pledges $25K to Abigail's Arms
Abigail’s Arms Executive Director Kim Cook and Capital Campaign Chairperson Karon Sullivant accepted a $25,000 pledge at the Gainesville Kiwanis Club meeting Tuesday.

May 24, 2013 1 Photo
What's it worth?
May 24, 2013 1 Photo
Area bankers fight cyber crime
May 24, 2013 1 Photo
Noblitt discusses demo projects
Over 700 commercial and residential buildings have code violations as detailed by Gainesville Community Services Director John Noblitt at Wednesday Lion’s Club meeting in Gainesville.

May 24, 2013
More Local News Headlines

What are your plans for this summer's travel season?