Early Thanksgiving at Bend’s Community Center

Thanksgiving is just four days away but the Bend Community Center was having a feast of its own Sunday.

Officials estimate that their meals served more than 500 people at both their breakfast and dinner Thanksgiving meals.

NewsChannel 21 visited the center about 15 minutes after they opened their doors for dinner at noon, and the dining room was packed.

The center has been consistently serving about 400 to 500 people every Sunday this month, and the community is grateful.

“They’re happy,” said Heidi Renoud, the center’s kitchen manager. “They always come in and give me a ‘thank you,’ and appreciate everything we do for them.

“They get sack lunches to go. We are handing out dog food today and cat food today as (part of) our Keep Them Warm (program), so they are also getting clothing today. And that makes me happy, that they are walking out the door with full bellies and they are going to stay warm.”

The number of people being served is fueled in part by rising food prices.

This year, the center fewer donations of turkeys, because they say the price of turkey has jumped.

Officials say they had to buy some of the turkeys themselves instead.

For more info or to help the BCC, visit http://www.bendscommunitycenter.org.