SIKESTON -- Those in search of an early Thanksgiving meal are in luck.
The Green Memorial Church of God in Christ will provide a free Thanksgiving community dinner from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 16 at the church, located at 113 Clayton Ave. in Sikeston.
"It's open to the public," said Rita Savage, church member and dinner organizer. "Anybody who wants to come and eat are more than welcome -- eat and be merry."
The menu will include chicken and dressing, cranberry sauce, green beans, corn, giblet gravy, rolls, drink, peach cobbler, sweet potato pie, and more desserts.
For the past few years, the Sikeston church has offered a free monthly dinner for the community. It partners with Southeast Missouri Food Bank and United States Department of Agriculture to offer the meal, Savage said.
"We have our monthly dinner for the community the last Wednesday of the month, but this year we didn't want to do it the day before Thanksgiving -- or the last Wednesday of the month (after Thanksgiving) -- so we moved it to the third Wednesday," Savage said.
Plus, church member LaRonda Randle noted, everyone is so busy with their families and other obligations around Thanksgiving, offering the dinner earlier seems more ideal.
"It goes really well. There are a lot of hungry people and they come and sit down and enjoy the food," Randle said, who is responsible for preparing the green beans, which she flavors with smoked neck bones, onion powder, seasoned salt and chopped onions in the green beans.
For the entire story, see the Nov. 16 edition of the Standard Democrat or click here to log on to the electronic edition.