Hundreds Celebrate Thanksgiving Early With Help All Around

Keeping the traditional purpose of Thanksgiving in mind - to thank the Lord for the bountiful harvest of the year - the kept its own annual tradition alive on Tuesday night, sharing a meal with anybody and everybody who walked through the doors of the Riverhead Middle School cafeteria.

The tradition dates back to "around the 1920s," said Rev. Thomas Goodhue, executive director of LICC for the past 11 years. Goodhue said the dinner started when migrant workers - who would often times travel back down south after the harvest - were celebrated for their hard work and enjoyed the fruits of their labor. But the dinner has seen a noticeable change in 90 years, on more than one front.

"The workers are not migrants any more, they stay here year round," said Goodhue. "Now, we see a great mix of people coming in. We see a lot of seniors, trying to make ends meet, coming not only for the food but fellowship as well. And of course, many people who don't have the luxury to have a nice meal like this on Thanksgiving."

Not only has the nature of the meal changed over time, but the number of people seeking a full Thanksgiving meal has increased drastically, said Carolyn Gumbs, who has been with LICC for the past 31 years. Gumbs, a recent honoree at the annual LICC 'Share the Harvest' gala, said when she started working the kitchen, "about 30 people would come to the dinners." That number slowly increased: to 40, 50, 100, 175, 200. The past four years, she said, has seen as many as 500 people walk into the room seeking a meal.

The meal, however, has stayed the same, thanks in large part to donations from local civic organizations such as Rotary Clubs, Brownie and Girl Scouts and Kiwanis Club, and private companies such as Brookhaven National Lab and Wickham's Fruit Farm. The number of volunteers has also increased; Gumbs estimated 175-200 people volunteered this year. Some worked in the kitchen before the event, preparing the meal. Others prepared the plates, passing them from station-to-station like a well-oiled machine. Others handed out the plates, while a clean-up crew stayed after hours.

Gumbs says she cooked 48 turkeys and 200 pounds of white potatoes this year. Many guests were able to receive second helpings or go home with a meal. Alongside the turkey and potatoes, sweet potato pie, collard greens, and "stuffing from scratch" graced the plates of the thankful guests.

"This is a great meal," said Cora, one guest. "I used to bring my son here sometimes when he was younger - he's 34 now. But I just moved back to Long Island after being in North Carolina. The cost of living here has increased so much since I moved."

In addition to food, members of the youth group performed three skits for the guests. Following the meal, a small gospel choir and keyboardist from St. Paul's Community Church in Riverhead played music to praise and give thanks for the meal, among other things.

With Christmas right around the corner, Gumbs, Goodhue, and the volunteers with LICC have a short break until it's time to prepare for the next big holiday. The LICC will prepare 275-300 'baskets' for local families, which will be full of turkey, vegetables, potatoes, bread - pretty much anything a family needs to enjoy a holiday dinner. But Gumbs gives herself until the beginning of next month to recuperate and prepare for the home stretch.

"I try to take a little break between now and the end of the month," sha said with a laugh. "With more people helping to do the work, it makes life a lot easier."