FRANKLYWNOW - Preparations for Thanksgiving Blessing underway

Imagine shopping for a dinner party with the guest list numbering in the thousands. That’s a little what it’s like if you are organizing one of the city’s biggest Thanksgiving meals.

Thanksgiving Blessing is an event that takes place in the Mat-Su Valley this Saturday and in Anchorage on Monday. There are half a dozen sites in the Anchorage area where people can pick up food to make a complete Thanksgiving meal.

Saint Patrick’s Catholic Church in Muldoon is one of the sites. For the last 10 years, Dave Patterson and Rich Arsenault have helped to organize the event there. On Friday, the pair spent the day picking up thousands of cans of food from local schools. Canned corn, green beans and cranberry jelly — all staples of a holiday meal.

Patterson explained that the turkeys were donated by the Food Bank of Alaska, but many community partners donate the rest. This year they will need plenty of food, as they’re expecting to feed 1,500 families just at Saint Pat’s.

“If you figure there is five people in the average family, that’s about 7,500,” Patterson said.

Organizers at other sites say they too are expecting a big turnout, based on increased use at local food pantries this year.

Anyone can participate in the Thanksgiving Blessing, regardless of income. But organizers ask that people bring some proof of address since the sites are organized by zip code. Call United Way’s 211 line for more information.

Valley Blessing

Saturday, Nov. 21 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• Faith Bible Fellowship
  
  14159 West Hollywood Road, Big Lake (Mile 2.5 Big Lake Road)
  
  907-892-8545
  
  Available to residents in zip code: 99652, 99624, 99623 (near Big Lake), 99694


• Fellowship Lutheran Church
  
  Mile 1.1 Petersville Road, Trapper Creek
  
  Available to residents in zip code: 99683


• Wasilla Bible Church
  
  1651 West Nicola Avenue, Wasilla
  
  907-376-2176
  
  Available to residents in zip codes: 99623 (near Wasilla), 99629, 99654, 99687


• Real Life Church
  
  10697 East Palmer Wasilla Highway, Palmer (Mile 2 Palmer-Wasilla Highway)
  
  907-745-5673
  
  Available to residents in zip codes: 99645, 99674


• Upper Susitna Senior Center
  
  16463 E. Helena Street, Talkeetna (Mile 98.5 Parks Highway)
  
  907-733-2710 (Jenny)
  
  Available to residents in zip codes: 99676, 99667


• Willow United Methodist Church
  
  Mile 67.5 Parks Highway, Willow
  
  907-495-6638
  
  Available to residents in zip code: 99688, 99694

Anchorage Blessing

Monday, Nov. 23 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.

• Crosspoint Church
  
  1920 W Dimond Blvd #K, Anchorage, AK 99515
  
  Available to residents in zip codes: 99507, 99511, 99515, 99516, 99518, 99522, 99523, 99540, 99587


• New Season Christian Center
  
  Spenard Recreation Center at 2020 West 48th Avenue
  
  Available to residents in zip codes: 99502, 99517, 99519


• Central Lutheran Church
  
  1420 Cordova Street, Anchorage, AK 99501
  
  Available to residents in zip codes: 99501, 99503, 99510, 99512, 99513, 99520, 99524


• St. Patrick’s Church
  
  2111 Muldoon Road, Anchorage, AK 99504
  
  Available to residents in zip codes: 99504, 99509, 99521


• Joy Lutheran Church
  
  10111 E. Eagle River Loop Road, Eagle River, AK 99577
  
  Available to residents in zip codes: 99505, 99506, 99567, 99577

Monday, Nov. 23 Noon to 8 p.m.

• Mt. View Community Center
  
  315 N. Price Street, Anchorage, AK 99508
  
  Available to residents in zip codes: 99508, 99514

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