The aroma of roast turkey and homemade stuffing wafted through the kitchen at the Salvation Army’s location on Fitzroy Street in Charlottetown on Monday as volunteers readied a Thanksgiving feast for the community.
This year, the organization aimed to go beyond just distributing meals.
Chaplain Scott MacIsaac shared, “We decided to host and invite people to join us for a meal.”
“Guests were seated after signing up for their dinner, streamlining food preparation and service,” MacIsaac explained.
Approximately 125 individuals were served at the yearly Thanksgiving event on Monday, as estimated by MacIsaac.
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The menu featured items such as turkey, veggies, cranberry sauce, gravy, and traditional Newfoundland dressing.
Major Derrick Barrow of the Salvation Army, who volunteered as the lead cook, mentioned that produce from the organization’s community garden was incorporated into the holiday meal.
Onions were utilized in the dressing and for cooking the turkeys, with garden-grown carrots also served. Local businesses contributed other vegetables like potatoes and turnips.
Derrick Barrow led the Thanksgiving meal preparation on Monday. (Tony Davis/CBC)
The Garden of Hope, established about a year ago and tended by volunteers, not only serves as a source of fresh produce but also fosters community unity, explained MacIsaac.
Situated prominently, the garden attracts passersby and promotes community bonding, he noted.
“We sow the seeds, nurture them, let them flourish, and then incorporate them into the meal,” MacIsaac elaborated.
MacIsaac added that the garden mirrors the Salvation Army’s mission of promoting inclusivity and breaking stereotypes.