 On Thanksgiving Day some may spend hours in the kitchen cooking away while others come to church to feast on all the turkey and trim all the turkey and trimmings. Hedy Clotter has the story. This year's community meal was held at Calvary Lutheran Church. It didn't matter what brought you here the atmosphere was a sense of family. There's a lot of the community that just looks forward to these every year to some look forward to it for just a meal that it's a meal that they may not have. Some look forward to that it's a time that they've been alone and they get to share with other people. This event wouldn't be possible without the help from volunteers like Amanda Willis. For the past six years she has spent Thanksgiving Day putting others before herself. Bemidji community is our family and I like coming here and serving people and letting them know that someone's taking care of them if nothing else for one day a year. The dining room was full of people talking and joined themselves and most of all the food. My favorite food today was the dressing. Mashed potatoes, corn, homemade stuffing and turkey was on the menu. Jeffrey Turner is from across the pond in Australia. Although Thanksgiving is not a tradition in Melbourne he felt at ease in Bemidji. Very nice the food the turkey pumpkin pie is not the pumpkin pie that I'm thinking of it's more of a sweetie type pumpkin pie because pumpkin to me is a vegetable it's not a sweet. For more than 20 years Patricia Calstadia has been associated with the Bemidji community meal by volunteering or indulging in the feast. It's been a tough year for Patricia having knee replacement surgery but that didn't bring her spirits down. Just a blessing that I could be out here and be with family and be with people and just the joy of being with everybody and watching them and just glad that everybody can be blessed by God. Guests have plenty to be thankful for. I'm very thankful for my daughter and for my family and all my friends. The love of the Lord Jesus Christ in this country. About 650 meals were distributed today. Happy Thanksgiving to you all. In Bemidji, Haiti Clotter, Lakeland News. Now there's no such thing as wasting delicious food. Any leftovers will go to the People's Church and the Hope House. If you've enjoyed this segment of Lakeland News please consider making a tax deductible contribution to Lakeland Public Television.