In this November 2015 photo, a diner gathers a plate of food for the Thanksgiving meal at the Kenai Peninsula Food Bank’s Fireweed Diner near Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion, file)

In this November 2015 photo, a diner gathers a plate of food for the Thanksgiving meal at the Kenai Peninsula Food Bank’s Fireweed Diner near Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion, file)

Community organizations, volunteers offer Thanksgiving dinner

Not everyone has the traditional combination of family, food and friends for Thanksgiving within reach at Thanksgiving. Volunteers are stepping up to make dinner all across the central Kenai Peninsula to give everyone somewhere to go.

For many groups, it’s a regular annual event to put on a free community Thanksgiving dinner. Oil and gas producer Hilcorp will sponsor its annual dinner for seniors on Tuesday, two days before Thanksgiving, for area seniors 60 years old or older. The event, hosted at the Kenai Senior Center, began with oil and gas producer Unocal and bounced to Agrium and then to Marathon before coming to Hilcorp and regularly draws people from all over the peninsula, said Kenai Senior Center Director Kathy Romain.

“We get people from Homer,” Romain said. “I don’t know if anybody from Seward comes, (but) we get over 200 people here for that.”

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

The Senior Center itself has a community Thanksgiving potluck on Thursday beginning at 11:30, Romain said. The Nikiski Senior Center will also host a Thanksgiving Dinner at lunchtime on Wednesday, according to the center’s lunch calendar.

The Kenai Peninsula Food Bank hosts community meals every day at its Fireweed Diner. On Thanksgiving, it’s no different, though the cooks and volunteers prepare the traditional Thanksgiving fare for the meal. The Salvation Army in Kenai also annually hosts a meal.

Several religious organizations also host Thanksgiving dinners and luncheons around town. The Kasilof Community Church just off the Sterling Highway in Kasilof will host its annual Thanksgiving dinner from 12–3 p.m. The church members prepare and serve the food, and the public is welcome. The Our Lady of the Angels Catholic Church in Kenai hosts a Thanksgiving mass with a luncheon afterward as well.

For other groups, this Thanksgiving is their first foray into providing a community meal. Out at Solid Rock Bible Camp near Sterling, a group of volunteers will spend their Thanksgiving cooking a free meal for anyone who wants to come by from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. Barb Blakeley, who is heading up the effort, said it was a group of community members inspired to give back rather than a formal organization.

“(It’s) not just for those that are less fortunate, but anybody who wants to come is welcome to come and have a free meal,” she said. “If you feel like you have to pay for something just drop some money in the box and we’ll donate it all to Freedom House.”

Freedom House, a sober living home for women in Soldotna, opened this year. Blakeley said the organizers wanted to support the home, which is a faith-based transitional living facility that has been largely supported by community donations and volunteering. Blakeley said the volunteers involved supported the organization and think it was a needed thing in the community.

Blakeley, who with her husband Norm Blakeley has presided over the St. Patrick’s Day parades in Soldotna in the past, said she has coordinated community events before but the Thanksgiving dinner will be new territory for her, but she was excited about being able to give back to the community.

“I’ve cooked Corned beef and cabbage for 400 but I’ve never actually done a full dinner for (large groups of people),” she said. “…It’s a great community, and that’s kind of what Thanksgiving is all about, just getting together and having a good time.”

Reach Elizabeth Earl at elizabeth.earl@peninsulaclarion.com.

More in News

Concert-goers listen to The Discopians at Concert on the Lawn on Saturday, July 12, 2025, at Karen Hornaday Park in Homer, Alaska. (Delcenia Cosman/Homer News)
‘Dancing at the end of the world’

KBBI AM 890 hosted their annual Concert on the Lawn Saturday.

Lisa Gabriel unfurls a set beach seine during a test fishery for the gear near Clam Gulch, Alaska, on Wednesday, July 9, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Seine test fishery continues after board of fish calls for more data

The east side setnet fishery has been entirely closed in recent years to protect Kenai River king salmon

Jason Criss stands for a photo in Soldotna, Alaska, after being named a qualifier for the Special Olympics USA Games on Thursday, July 10, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna athlete to compete in 2026 Special Olympics USA Games

Thousands of athletes from across all 50 states will be competing in 16 sports.

The entrance to the Homer Electric Association office is seen here in Kenai, Alaska on May 7, 2020. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)
HEA opens bids for real property

The deadline to submit bids is 5 p.m. on Aug. 11.

Arturo Mondragon-Lopez, Jr. (right) attends a change of plea hearing related to the October 2023 fatal shooting of Brianna Hetrick on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025, at the Homer Courthouse in Homer, Alaska. (Delcenia Cosman/Homer News)
Mondragon-Lopez sentenced for death of Homer woman

Arturo Mondragon-Lopez, Jr. accepted a plea deal in February for the shooting of Brianna Hetrick.

Soldotna City Hall is seen on Wednesday, June 23, 2021 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna OKs $395,000 capital plan

This year’s list of capital projects is “nominal compared to some past years,” according to officials.

A map of areas proposed for annexation by the City of Soldotna. (Provided by City of Soldotna)
Soldotna adds annexation proposal to ballot

The proposed annexation is split across five small areas around the city.

Nets are extended from North Kenai Beach in Kenai, Alaska, during the first day of the Kenai River personal use dipnet fishery on Thursday, July 10, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
‘A really good day’

Kenai River personal use sockeye salmon dipnet fishery opens.

The entrance to the Kenai Peninsula Borough building in Soldotna is seen here on June 1. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)
Borough assembly to consider ordinance to increase residential property tax exemption

If approved by voters in October, the ordinance would increase the tax exemption by $25,000.

Most Read

You're browsing in private mode.
Please sign in or subscribe to continue reading articles in this mode.

Peninsula Clarion relies on subscription revenue to provide local content for our readers.

Subscribe

Already a subscriber? Please sign in