Great Bend Thanksgiving dinners served up
Published: December 2, 2009
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Rose Potter, Donna Cosmello, Sandy Button and Deb Birchard pause while serving dinner on Thanksgiving day.
For the third year a Friends to Friends Thanksgiving dinner was served at the Great Bend Senior Center.
When organized in 2007 by Senior Center manager Donna Cosmello she had no idea how well it would be received. Fewer than 100 meals were served the first year with an increase in 2008.
This year Cosmello made arrangements for take-out dinners and made sure those in the county's elderly housing served by the Great Bend Center who were not able to come to the center received a meal. According to Cosmello, some 200 meals were served, with at least 125 take-outs.
A County Transportation van was supplied and driver Harry Buchanan made several trips to get everyone who requested a ride to the Senior Center and back home.
Volunteers came from near and far to help with Cosmello's efforts. Deb Birchard from Area Agency on Aging, County Commissioner Michael Giangrieco and family; Brad and Matt Warren representing their mother, Commissioner MaryAnn Warren who was recovering from the flu joined residents of New Milford, Hallstead, Great Bend, Susquehanna and Cosmello's family members.
A great kitchen crew kept the food flowing to the dining room and packing up take-out dinners, while others made sure the dishes were washed and ready for the next group of hungry people.
The dinner was made possible by generous monetary donations, supplies and all those homemade pies from civic clubs, businesses and individuals.
