Bend Salvation Army, volunteers deliver Thanksgiving meals

More ta 100 people got a warm Thanksgiving meal in Bend Thursday afternoon. The Salvation Army and AmeriCorps volunteers worked around the clock to get everything ready.

Snow and ice didn’t stop the volunteers from delivering a hot Thanksgiving meal to families in need.

The volunteers awakened at 6 a.m. to start preparing the Thanksgiving meal. The volunteers handled everything from cooking 50 pounds of potatoes to preparing items from stuffing to pumpkin pie, not to mention the main dish: the turkey.

Just last week, the Salvation Army was facing a turkey shortage, but the Central Oregon community came together to help the organization reach its goal.

“We got a few extra, so we’re starting to use it for this today, too,” said Salvation Army Lt. Jeremy Aird. “So the turkey need was met, which was great, by the community.”

This is the first time the Central Oregon Salvation Army has put on this type of Thanksgiving dinner for Bend.

The hot meals went to veterans, seniors and families in need.

“People that can’t get out, either because of the snow or just physical elements, or people that just don’t want to get out because of whatever reason — we’re just going to deliver to them,” Aird said.

it’s a job that brings smiles to people who are forgotten during the holidays.

“It means a lot. There is good in this world anywhere you go — just got to open your eyes to see it, and it’s right there,” volunteer Annette Whitson said.

To help The Salvation Army in Bend, visit: http://www.salvationarmybendoregon.org/