Published: November 27, 2008 10:38 pm            

Volunteers help with Light House Mission dinner

TERRE HAUTE — Dozens of volunteers shared Thanksgiving with people struggling through hard times Thursday at the Light House Mission in Terre Haute.

In all, around 40 people helped prepare food, serve meals and wash dishes for needy people at the mission Thursday evening.

“I want to help people,” said Kolby Fieck, 9, a student at Riley Elementary and a volunteer helping serve food with his mother Stephanie. The Fiecks have only lived in Terre Haute a short time but had toured the Light House Mission and decided they wanted to help, Stephanie Fieck said. “We have a lot to be thankful for and we can give the gift of time,” she said.

Around 80 people, including men, women and children, sat down for Thanksgiving meals around 5 p.m. in the mission’s dining room. Servers brought them steaming trays of turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, dressing, yeast rolls, sweet potatoes, green beans, corn and pumpkin pie.

In all, the mission expected to serve 450 meals Wednesday and Thursday, said Patty Drake, a resident of the mission’s Conner Center and the cook at the Light House Mission.

The food served Thursday was “very delicious and very nice,” said Robert, a resident of the Light House Mission who enjoyed his Thanksgiving dinner with his wife Beckka. Robert and Beckka have lived in the Light House Mission on three different occasions, Robert said. This is their second time having Thanksgiving dinner at the mission, he said.

The Light House Mission is a good place, Robert said. “They give you want you need and help you get back on your feet,” he said. On this occasion, Robert and Beckka have been living at the mission for a few weeks, he said.

Several volunteers brought their children or grandchildren to help serve Thanksgiving meals.

“It’s important to bring the grandchildren so they can appreciate what they have,” said William Smiddy, who came to the mission with his wife Star and granddaughter Audrey. “We’ve been extremely fortunate … and we want to give back and thank the community for supporting our [carpet] business,” Smiddy said. “We feel that this is our neighborhood,” he said.

Many young people take all they have for granted, Audrey Smiddy, 14, said. Helping at the Light House Mission helps her appreciate all she has and “gives you a feeling of accomplishment,” she said.

A few minutes past 5 p.m., Kathleen West, a first-time volunteer from Terre Haute, read from her Bible and said a prayer before the meals were served. Those in the room said “Amen” and gave a round of applause for the volunteers. Some children sat at tables with their families waiting for trays of food to be brought to them.

Normal meals at the mission have only about half as much food as the Thanksgiving meal, Robert said. And there are normally not nearly as many volunteers at regular meals, he said.

Drake agreed there are not as many volunteers on normal days and that extra help is always gratefully appreciated, she said. “We can always use help,” she said.

Drake, who has lived at the Conner Center for two years, said cooking allows her to give something back to the Light House Mission, which she says saved her life. Her cooking skills are all self taught, she said, but the food in her kitchen looked and smelled delicious.

“It’s just something God has blessed me with,” Drake said of her cooking skill. “God has just worked miracles in my life.”

Before the Light House Mission residents and members of the general public were admitted to the dining room to eat their Thanksgiving meals, volunteers sat around and got acquainted.

“I’m blessed and I want to give back in the name of Jesus,” said Jesse Pitts, a volunteer from Brazil.

“Now is time for us to show the love of God,” West said explaining why she wanted to help out at the Mission. “I think I’ll be doing it from now on.”



Arthur Foulkes can be reached at (812) 231-4232 or arthur.foulkes@tribstar.com.

        

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