by Cristina Granados on 2013-12-09
By noon last Tuesday, one hundred people had been served a free Thanksgiving meal hosted by Moreno Valley Rotary Club International at the Wesleyan Methodist Church, prior to the Thanksgiving holiday. The Thanksgiving feast has been hosted by the Rotary Club for approximately 40 years.
Every year, Rotary members are responsible for providing a turkey and every member pitches in for the pies. This year, the Thanksgiving event planner, Mary-Ellen Horspool, was anticipating 350 to 400 free meals.
“We don’t question anyone who comes,” said club member Oscar Valdepena. "We want them to have a warm meal for the holidays."
A lot of planning went into the event; the plates were filled with turkey, gravy, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, green beans and stuffing. The following course was even more extensive: pumpkin pie, apple pie, raspberry pie, pastries with a creamy raspberry center, lemon cake, brownies, and tarts. Lining the center of the tables were breadbaskets. Plates were being thrown away completely cleared of food.
High school students that are part of a Rotary High School program called Interact, arrived at 8 a.m. to help pass out food, desserts and to keep the beverage cups filled. Moreno Valley High School co-presidents Joyce Shin and Geronimo Ayala, expressed their passion for the community project efforts Rotary stands for.
“It’s the most prominent club (on our campus) that involves the community,” said Ayala.
Valley View High School Interact President Ryanne Browers agreed.
“We want to help someone and this is the best club to do it,” said Browers.
With hundreds of meals anticipated to be served, Horspool truly appreciated the communal effort from club members.
Rotary Club International has existed for over 100 years. Although they are international, local chapters continually service their communities.
According to the Rotary Club International website, the club is “1.2 million neighbors, friends and community leaders who come together to create positive, lasting change in our communities and around the world.”