It’s that time of year again and the Spirit of Oakdale Committee is once again gearing up for its annual Oakdale Thanksgiving Dinner so no one in the city can go hungry that day. This will be the 22nd year for the event.

“Right now the trunk of my car is stuffed with 300 cans of cranberries,” said Vicki Thompson, who founded the dinner with Oakdale volunteer and community activist, Mickey Peabody.

Despite donations of food that have already come in, both Thompson and Peabody said they are still in need of 80 turkeys to serve an anticipated 1200 people this year.

Throughout the year local elementary schools get involved with food drives and the high school’s S Club also usually contributes food items for the dinner, as do many other local clubs, service organizations, businesses and individuals.

Serving will be from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 26 and all are welcome to share the community meal, free of charge.

“There are no specific seating times, just come when you want and stay as long as you please,” said Peabody.

Thompson added that those that may not have anywhere to go, such as shut-ins or those having difficulty getting out to the meal, can also have dinners home-delivered with the CAPS, Citizens Auxiliary Police Services, members handling the delivery of meals on Thanksgiving Day. More than 100 dinners are delivered by CAPS volunteers that day.

“We’re already fully staffed with volunteers to serve throughout the day,” said Thompson, “but we still need food donations.”

Thompson said that turkeys can be dropped off anytime at Medlen’s House of Beef or the H-B Saloon. Other donations are also needed to help put on the dinner.

“After 22 years, we seem to working out OK,” Thompson said.

For more information about the dinner and what you can contribute, contact Thompson at 606-3893 or Peabody at 471-9859.