Editorial
Thanksgiving came a week early for many in our community. Hundreds gathered at the Virginia Horse Center his past Thursday, Nov. 20, for a free Thanksgiving meal of turkey, stuffing with gravy, sweet potato casserole, mashed potatoes with gravy, bread, green bean casserole, corn, deviled eggs, cornbread, cranberry and cake. The occasion was the first-ever Rockbridge FriendsGiving.
The event, in which those attending enjoyed friendly conversation while being entertained by music, was a collaborative effort of Rockbridge Connect And Nourish, Feed the Need Foundation, and the Community Foundation for Rockbridge, Bath and Alleghany. More than 500 meals were served to 412 diners, and another 75 meals to volunteers, for a total of 615 meals that evening. An additional 249 meals were donated to Unity4Kids, which delivered them to area residents on Sunday.
On the actual Thanksgiving Day tomorrow, Thursday, Nov. 27, at noon, a Thanksgiving meal is being served, free of charge, at the Rockbridge Community Church of the Nazarine, 906 Magnolia Ave., Buena Vista, by the good folks of the Bridge to Hope food pantry.
All three local school divisions answered the call to ensure that area children and their families don’t go hungry this Thanksgiving. With the assistance of several of the above-mentioned community organizations, frozen turkeys and nonperishable side dishes were distributed through the schools to hundreds of local families this past week.
We are truly blessed in the Rockbridge area by this abundance of generosity so that no one should go hungry or even have to dine alone on this special holiday. “Nourishment for the body and soul” is a mantra carried by the Community Table, a local entity that provides nutritious meals on a regular basis at the Rockbridge Area Relief Association’s Piovano building. Similar sentiments are adhered to by numerous organizations and individuals in our midst.
This bountiful generosity is especially welcome in these fraught times in which the threat of food insecurity is very real. The recent lengthy federal government shutdown put the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program at risk. Without this assistance, many low-income residents in our community would not be able to put food on their tables. The continuously rising cost of groceries is a real concern for everyone.
As we gather tomorrow with friends and family to celebrate Thanksgiving, let’s be thankful that we live in a community in which people look after each other in an effort to make sure everyone’s needs are met. May the joy of Thanksgiving that began a week early this year be felt and experienced not only tomorrow but all year long.
