Hawaii Thanksgiving events assist needy
Advertiser Staff
A series of Thanksgiving Day events are scheduled on O'ahu, including a volunteer-driven event to provide meals to area seniors.
Lanakila Meals on Wheels, Hawai'i's largest Meals on Wheels program, received enough donations to continue feeding Thanksgiving meals this year to 800 O'ahu senior citizens.
Some 563 pounds of roast turkey, gravy and trimmings that include cranberry relish, bread stuffing and yams, mashed potatoes, peas, rolls and fresh baked pumpkin pie will be served on Thanksgiving by volunteers, including Mayor Mufi Hannemann.
Lanakila Meals on Wheels will package meals from 7 to 9 a.m. tomorrow and begin making deliveries from 9 to 10 a.m.
The group had faced a funding shortfall that meant it might have to cut 233 elders from its program. Lanakila Meals on Wheels still needs financial help to feed homebound seniors on Christmas Day and to keep more seniors in the program, the group said.
The Salvation Army also will hold its 37th annual Thanksgiving program tomorrow at the Neal Blaisdell Center Exhibition Hall from 9:15 a.m. to 1 p.m. Entertainment will include comedian Frank DeLima, musician Henry Kapono, and the Salvation Army Island Brass Band and Halau Hula O Namakahulali.
The dinner will be served at noon. Everyone is welcome, the Salvation Army said, especially those who are alone, homeless, elderly and needy.
Tickets are free and available at all Salvation Army Community Corps locations on O'ahu, through various social service agencies or by calling 521-6551 or 591-5605 (Honolulu); 487-1636 (Leeward); or 235-1408 (Windward). Tickets also will be available at the door.
The Salvation Army also provides Thanksgiving meals to people with disabilities and the elderly on all islands.
Clients at the Institute for Human Services, Hawai'i's largest homeless shelter, also will be served Thanksgiving meals by Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort & Spa workers from 2 to 4 p.m.
Executive chef Daniel LaGarde and his team will prepare 45 turkeys and stuffing, rice, vegetables, tossed greens, fruit salad and pumpkin pie from 2 to 4 p.m. at IHS, 350 Sumner St.
