A chill might have hung in the late autumn air, but there was nothing but warmth in everyone’s hearts on Friday, November 17 as the City of Lake Station held its sixth-annual Turkey Dinner Giveaway. Dozens of families in need from all over the community lined up eagerly in the Thomas Edison High School parking lot, waiting for the perfect holiday gift.
For six years, the City of Lake Station has served its community by giving away Thanksgiving meal staples to families who are struggling to put food on the table. The event has long ensured that every family has the opportunity to celebrate the holiday with their loved ones.
“It’s important for every family to sit down as a family at Thanksgiving and have a nice dinner together. There are so many families out there who are struggling to put food on the table—we’re here to make sure every family in the community can experience a nice Thanksgiving,” said Adrian Vera, chief of staff for Lake Station.
This year’s Turkey Dinner Giveaway was Lake Station’s biggest event yet, with nearly 150 Thanksgiving meals being given out. People lined up in the parking lot hours before the giveaway even began, excited to have the chance to serve their families a delicious meal.
“Every year we’re able to serve more and more people. We’re blessed to have the opportunity to touch so many lives and show people that we’re here to care for them,” said Lake Station Mayor Bill Carroll.
What also made this year’s event special is that it was the city’s first year putting the event on with the help of the Lake Station school system. The city of Lake Station school system, and the Lake Station Lions Club all came together to make sure no family goes hungry this Thanksgiving. Everyone involved was grateful for the partnership.
“I deeply appreciate the opportunity to partner with the city. Only with all of our combined efforts and strengths can we serve so many people. We can help the city take care of its citizens and in turn our children benefit because they’re not going to school hungry. All students will get to have the holiday experience and that happiness will transpire in their daily lives moving forward. We couldn’t be happier,” said Tom Cripliver, superintendent of Lake Station Schools.
The new partnership definitely proved fruitful. Each family was provided with a turkey, a huge box of nonperishable goods like canned vegetables, instant mashed potatoes, and packets of gravy, as well as all kinds of perishable foods like milk, butter, rolls, and eggs. A local community member set up a small boutique for families to grab some winter clothes if they needed them. As if that weren’t enough, each family also received an aluminum tin to cook their turkeys in just in case they didn’t have the proper cookware at home.
“To me, this is what being mayor is all about. It’s about seeing where the need is in the community and implementing things to help alleviate that and make sure people are taken care of. Tonight, we’re not just city officials: we’re public servants. I pride myself on being compassionate and fair, and when I see a need I do everything I possibly can to help,” said Carroll.
As the volunteers passed food through car windows and stuffed people’s trunks full of delicious food, every person in need expressed their thanks with enormous smiles. It was the perfect reminder of what Thanksgiving is truly about: gratitude and giving.
“That’s my favorite part of doing this every year: seeing the gratitude on all of these people’s faces. Everyone we help is so appreciative and a lot of them get a little emotional. It makes us all feel good that we’re able to help these families out and make such a positive impact,” said Vera.
If there was anything to be taken away from the day, it’s that the City of Lake Station will do whatever it takes to not only make sure every family gets to experience the joy of the holiday season but feels that their community is there to support them whenever they need it.
“If there are ever families in need we will continue to help them. We’ll be ready to come together and help feed those families,” said Vera.
In line with the holiday spirit, the City of Lake Station is grateful for everyone who helped make the event a success, all of its new and old partners, and of course, the tight-knit community it’s proud to call home.
“I can’t say thanks enough to everyone who’s been involved. Between everyone who donated food and all the volunteers who have come to load up vehicles, there’s been so much community support. We couldn’t do this without everyone,” said Vera.
To learn more about the City of Lake Station and its giving community, visit lakestation-in.gov.
