Both Escanaba and Gladstone will have Thanksgiving dinners prepared at no cost for the community next week. Here, volunteers worked to prepare meals for the Community Thanksgiving Dinner at the Escanaba High School in 2024. (Daily Press file photo)

ESCANABA – Local residents will have the opportunity to enjoy Thanksgiving meals at no cost in both Escanaba and Gladstone next week.

This year’s Delta County Community Thanksgiving dinner will be 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Thursday at the Escanaba High School, 500 S. Lincoln Road.

To-go meals will be offered. Both to-go meals and sit-down meals should be reserved no later than Tuesday by calling the Escanaba Senior Center at 906-786-8850.

Free DATA Bus rides are available for anyone needing transportation and can be reserved by calling the Escanaba Senior Center.

“This has been an annual event for over 40 years on Thanksgiving. Every year our numbers increase,” Lydia LaPalm, Escanaba Senior Center administrator, said in a written statement.

LaPalm estimates 750 people will come for this year’s Thanksgiving dinner. In 2024, roughly 75 volunteers served more than 658 meals to Delta County residents.

“Donations of money and food are solicited for this meal in the Delta County area. We, in return, find out the need of the Escanaba Jr/Sr High School kitchen and give back to them each year,” LaPalm said.

Delta County Community Thanksgiving dinner organizers are still seeking volunteers, particularly six volunteer turkey carvers who can come in for 8 a.m. to noon Wednesday. To volunteer, go to https://www.communitythanksgivingdinner.org/volunteer.

Grace Church, 528 28th St. in Gladstone, will host its annual community Thanksgiving dinner from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday. The meal may also be delivered to those who are unable to attend in person.

Those who want to reserve a meal — in person or delivered – should contact Grace Church no later than Tuesday by either calling 906-428-1331, emailing Info@grace906.com or going to the event link, grace906.com/events.

While walk-ins will be served, meal reservations are preferred.

“It is a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, so we have turkey and dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, cranberries, sweet potatoes baked with marshmallows on them, and we do a green bean casserole. Then we have pumpkin, pecan and apple pies,” said Christa Klarich, who coordinates the dinner along with her husband, Tony.

The church has hosted Thanksgiving dinner for more than 15 years. About 130 to 150 people typically turn out for the event.

The dinner was previously coordinated by Todd Belongie, a member of Grace Church, but the Klarichs took over after Belongie’s passing a couple of years ago.