CHARLESTON, W. Va. — Volunteers gathered at the Tiskelwah Center on Charleston’s West Side to hand out over 300 meals during the 8th Annual Earl Wilson Community Thanksgiving Dinner.
Members of the Keep Your Faith Corporation, the Kanawha Valley Senior Services and other organizations worked together to serve up hot meals to the steam of people who made their way inside Tuesday night.
The event originated at about the same time as the KYFC, the initial organizer, as for way its founders to give something positive to the community.
“We all grew up in this community and this community doesn’t always have a positive light in the media and for good reason sometimes,” Don Wilson, Project Coordinator with KYFC said. “We just wanted to show people that you can come together in a large group without an issue, fellowship, love and peace because that’s what this holiday is all about, it’s Thanksgiving.”
KYFC was inspired by the work of others in the city during Thanksgiving, particularly those with the annual Frankie Veltri Dinner. They asked themselves how they could make the biggest impact.
“There was nothing on Tuesdays,” Wilson said. “We said, ‘Why don’t we give the people that need this stuff the most another night of Thanksgiving’ and that’s why we decided to hold the event Tuesday night.”
Wilson said the first few years of the event were such a success, word spread and they were pleased more organizations wanted to help, especially with financing it.
“It takes money, it obviously takes dollars. The first two years, Dural [Miller] and I paid for it out of our own pocket. After that, we built some momentum, built a reputation for helping the community.”
Wilson was thankful for the KVSS, which he said joined them roughly five years ago and worked with them to elevate the dinner to what it is today.
Don, the son of the event’s namesake Earl Wilson, said Tuesday night’s event was a fitting tribute to the man who served as the kitchen organizer for the first two years.
“It was always an ode to my father, that food and family and fellowship be a part of his life and a part of his legacy. It very important that this dinner continue forever.”
The KYFC will work on ways year-round to raise funds for next years event.