Elgin tradition grows to feed more than 1,000 people

Over the years, the Elgin Community Thanksgiving dinner has morphed from a charitable dinner for the city's less fortunate to a dinner feeding up to 1,500 of the city's less fortunate and families looking to help out.

And organizer Jeff Turner would have it no other way.

"We've grown every year, and as we grow, we've seen more families alter their Thanksgiving traditions to include this dinner," Turner said Thursday at the First United Methodist Church. "And that's what I've wanted from the start."

Initial crowds, he said, began at about 500 people the first few years and have grown to the 1,500 expected Thursday.

"People started to realize that anyone was welcome, regardless of their socioeconomic status," he said.

"And families started to bring their children to teach them about the meaning of Thanksgiving."

Elgin resident Deanne Krappitz began including volunteering and eating at the dinner with friends into her tradition about six years ago.

"I absolutely love it," she said. "The food is great, and I get way more out of volunteering than I give."

Turner, owner of the Elgin-based In The Neighborhood Deli and ITN Fresh at Gail Borden Public Library, sponsors the event along with several local charities, including Food for Friends.

He announced Thursday that there will be even more volunteer opportunities available next month because he has committed to host the first community Christmas dinner on Dec. 18.

"I'm super excited to be able to make that announcement that we're good to go for Christmas at the Hemmens (Cultural Arts Center)," Turner said. "We'll need help and more volunteers, but I don't anticipate that being a problem."

He's still raising money for the Christmas dinner, which is expected to cost about $4,000,

Turner said he hopes the dinner will coincide with the "Elgin Celebrates the Holidays" variety show scheduled at the Hemmens that afternoon.

Malcom, who declined to give his last name but identifies himself as one of the city's homeless, said he looks forward to the Thanksgiving meal every year.

"It's a bright spot on my calendar, to say the least, and now I know I've got a place to celebrate Christmas too," he said.

"But for the grace and charity of kind strangers, warm meals are few and far between. I'm eternally thankful for what these folks pull together."

To donate to the Christmas dinner fund, Turner said checks can be made payable to the Elgin Community Network and be mailed to or dropped off at the deli at 185 N. Edison Ave., Elgin, IL 60123. Cash donations are also being accepted at the deli.