CHURCH OFFERS HELPING OF HOLIDAY TRADITION : NEEDY TREATED TO MEAL.Byline: Teresa Jimenez Daily News Staff Writer Volunteers arrived at Grace Brethren Church on Avenida Simi at 11 a.m. Thursday to set up tables and prepare food for the homeless, poor and lonely. It was a special day, but familiar to the volunteers, who serve free meals there every week on Mondays and Thursdays, said organizer Grace Lembeck, who has volunteered since the program started 10 years ago. ``We never really know how many we'll get. On a regular day we average 80 to 100 people, but we get less on holidays,'' Lembeck said. ``A lot of times, people will go home for the holiday. You know, for that one day or two out of the year.'' The free meals started as a program for the homeless, but Lembeck said anyone in need is welcome. ``Even people in our church need it. Some are just too proud to come,'' Lembeck said. Abigail Abbott, who has served meals at the church every Thanksgiving Thanksgiving annual U.S. holiday celebrating harvest and yearly blessings; originated with Pilgrims (1621). [Am. Culture: EB, IX: 922] See : America Thanksgiving national holiday with luxurious dinner as chief ritual. [Am. Pop. for eight years, chose to make meatloaf instead of turkey, figuring visitors had already eaten plenty. Still, mashed potatoes n. pl. 1. Potatoes which have been boiled and mashed to a pulpy consistency, usu. with sparing addition of milk, salt, butter, or other flavoring. It is a popular accompaniment to a meat course [U.S., 1900's], providing bulk and calories to a meal. and gravy, pies and vegetables were on the menu. Thanksgiving at the church has become a family tradition for Abbott, her husband and her son and daughter. ``It's a special day for us. We've been doing this since my daughter was born and she loves being here,'' Abbott said. ``It's been a real important part of my life.'' At Los Robles Robles is a common surname in the Spanish language meaning oaks, and may refer to:
Trubia arrived at the Los Robles kitchen at 4:30 a.m. to prepare the traditional Thanksgiving Day Thanksgiving Day, national holiday in the United States commemorating the Pilgrims' celebration of the harvest reaped by the Plymouth Colony in 1621, after a winter of great starvation and privation. The celebration was probably held in October. dishes, along with plenty of carrots, corn and other items for the hospital's 300 to 400 employees and 130 patients. Trubia said he didn't mind working on the holiday since he was able to head to his home in Newbury Park at 1 p.m. to be with his family. ``Luckily, I'm not making dinner at home,'' Trubia said. ``They asked me if I wanted the day off and I thought, `I can make it at home and not get paid or make it at work and get paid.' '' The cafeteria cafeteria: see restaurant. staff was expecting about the same amount of people as they get on a regular day, mainly because Thursday's traditional Thanksgiving meal was free. ``Since it's free food, they'll be coming out of the woodwork woodwork: see carpentry; furniture; intarsia; marquetry; veneer; wood carving. ,'' Trubia said. If it tasted as good as it looked, the hospital's food was a hit. Trubia said hospital food has a bad reputation because of patients whose medication changes the way things taste. ``When they're on medication, nothing tastes good,'' Trubia said. CAPTION(S): Photo Photo: (color) Volunteers serve a Thanksgiving Day dinner to people at Grace Brethren Church in Simi Valley Simi Valley (sē`mē, sĭm`ē), city (1990 pop. 100,217), Ventura co., SW Calif. in an oil, fruit, and farm region; laid out 1887, inc. 1969. on Thursday. John McCoy/Daily News |
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