Central Oregonians still find much to be thankful for

'I'm thankful for everything that comes my way in this world. I feel blessed.'

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- It's the age-old question that pops up every year: What are you thankful for?

NewsChannel 21 went around Bend on Thursday to find out.

Best friends Ayla and Jane found themselves "slacklining" at Drake Park this morning.

"We're thankful for each other," the two said.

"I’m thankful for everything that comes my way in this world. I feel blessed," Jane said.

The two said they had to cancel their travel plans to visit family this year, but they're still finding a way to celebrate.

"We're going to get bags of chicken from Safeway and stop by to see all of our friends to just say hi," Ayla said. "They don't have to feed us, we're just going to provide ourselves."

With indoor dining unavailable, many were turning to restaurants like downtown Bend's Pine Tavern for some "turkey takeout."

General Manager Anthony Avraam said he's thankful to provide dinners across the community.

“We have quite a few takeout orders today, so there will be hot turkey and hot prime rib flying out of the Pine Tavern," Avraam said.

Avraam said the quarantine and isolation have been tough, but he's still finding ways to be thankful.

“Even though we’ve been isolating and separated, it makes me a lot more thankful for my family, our staff and the people here in the city," he said.

Others, like Datar Sahi and his dog, are spending their first Thanksgiving in Bend, but it just so happens to be in the middle of a pandemic.

“Well, I’m most recently from California, but don’t tell anyone from Bend," Sahi said. "My brother and his fiancée are coming from Newport, Oregon and we’re just going to have a nice, in-home dinner.”

Sahi said you combine the virus, wildfires and all these restrictions, and it certainly hasn't been an easy year.

But he said he's trying to take the situation in stride.

“I think I’m most thankful for an opportunity to be alone and fight through that," Sahi said. "I think it’s going to leave a permanent social mark on us, as individuals and as a society for a time to come.”

The holiday is surely different this year, but it's clear that there's still a lot to be thankful for.