Record number of bellies filled

With 179 people stuffed to the gills, Helpings Hands hosted a record-breaking dinner on Thanksgiving Day.

After fulfilling 63 delivery orders (compared to 25 last year) and serving 116 folks at the St. Anne's Parish Hall last Thursday, Helping Hands volunteers basked in the glow of an amazing effort. They provided a full dinner including six turkeys roasted to golden perfection, pounds and pounds of sweet and salty ham, 65 pounds of mashed potatoes, the best stuffing this reporter has ever had and 20 pumpkin pies. Helping Hands president Merlynn Hoopes said it was a wonderful time with more first-time attendees and full families than she had seen in recent years.

Hoopes said it was the first time the group had run out of turkey and was down to the last pie before the meal ended. "We never really sat down," Hoopes said of the all-volunteer staff, adding, "Every year, it's really quite exciting opening the doors to see who's here this year."

This success of the dinner keeps the Helping Hands volunteers, "stay amped up all year, thinking about next year's Thanksgiving," according to Hoopes.