Thanks for Giving dinner serves hundreds

Chefs cook 37 turkeys, piles of green beans, mashed potatoes

By Evan Jensen

The Estacada News, Dec 2, 2009, Updated Dec 2, 2009

Evan Jensen / Estacada News

Estacada Junior High School Margaret Crawford and science teacher Deborah DiPasquale serve turkey to guests for the Thanks for Giving dinner held at Estacada High School and EJHS on Nov. 24. Estacada School District chefs roasted 37 turkeys and cooked 240 pounds of green beans and 500 pounds of potatoes for the dinner.

ADVERTISEMENTS

Clackamas River Elementary School student Savannah Winton left school on Tuesday last week for the Thanksgiving holiday, but came back in just a few hours. She didn’t have to clean the chalkboards or report to the principal’s office, but returned to volunteer for the Estacada School District’s Thanks for Giving dinner and serve dessert to hundreds of guests.

Last week, the Estacada School District hosted a community dinner created by Estacada Junior High School Principal Anna Pittioni and classified employee Jane McKendry with the help of dozens of volunteers like Winton and donations from the community.

“If you were there, you know how good the food was and how full you were when you left,” Pittioni wrote on the EJHS website. “Many of you left with extra meals on foil-wrapped plates. If you weren’t there, then you really missed out on a wonderful dinner and fabulous company. We want to thank all those area merchants and individuals who helped support this amazing event. This is really the start of something special…”

Hundreds of visitors dined on turkey, stuffing and side dishes at Estacada High School and EJHS on Nov. 24, arriving in shifts at 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. School cooks roasted 37 turkeys, cooked 240 pounds of green beans and made 500 pounds of mashed potatoes for the crowd, and the event even included a plan for leftovers.

“One of the exciting things about this is that not an ounce of food is going to waste,” Pittioni said. “Anything left over is being packaged and taken to the Estacada Area Food Bank and the rest will go to the Clackamas County Gleaners.”

EJHS librarian Margaret Crawford and science teacher Deborah DiPasquale were among the dozens of volunteers who helped served guests in the school cafeteria that had been transformed into a decorative and festive Thanksgiving-themed dining room. They dished up heaping plates to hundreds of guests while Insurance Mart owner and former EHS softball coach Jim Brochis served water and fruit punch.

“These are tough times,” Estacada School Board President Danny Scott said at the Nov. 18 school board meeting. “We are so grateful for the Estacada School Community and all the support we receive. We are thrilled to be able to show our thanks and host the Thanks for Giving dinner.”

During the her two-hour shift at EHS, Clackamas River Elementary School student Savannah Winton saw many of her friends, classmates and teachers come through the line as she added a generous serving of apple or pumpkin pie to their plates. She took a short break to savor dinner and enjoy the dessert.

“I actually had pumpkin pie, and it was delicious,” Winton said. “My favorite part of the dinner was the turkey and the potatoes. It was probably better than school cafeteria food, but I still really like the hamburgers at lunch. … This was a good event and a lot of people came. I think they should do this every year.”