Community Dinner in jeopardy for 2022

A Perryville Thanksgiving staple is in danger of not happening this year.
The Community Thanksgiving Dinner will not continue if someone is not found that is willing to put on the event. Susan Foster, the former director of the Senior Center, has helped organize the event in the past, but is unable to do it this year.
“I’m not having any luck having someone to take over,” Foster said. “It’s a function put on by individuals, not the Senior Center where it is held. I just want to put it out there that the event is in trouble if someone doesn’t take it over.”
The event was started by Chuck and Sharon Cathcart approximately 10 years ago for those who don’t have anywhere to go for a hot meal during the Thanksgiving holidays. In 2020, the dinner served about 500 people on Thanksgiving Day at the Senior Center. The dinner consists of turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, green beans and other dishes.
Foster is looking for someone who is willing to help people.
“It can be anyone who has the desire to perform a great service for the Perryville community,” Foster said. “I think we have the group of volunteers to deliver the meals, we just need someone to run it.”

Foster is willing to help the person in any way possible.
“I’ll be glad to help them organize or tell them what kinds of things we have ordered in the past, or what they are going to need to do to put on the event.” Foster said. “It’s a tough job, but there is nothing that I have done in my life that was more rewarding.”
Foster noted that it is one of her favorite events of the year.
“Serving the meals to anyone that wanted a hot, abundant Thanksgiving meal is fabulous,” Foster said. “Being able to serve the meal to people who didn’t have family to go to during the holidays and watching them sit together and having that camaraderie that the holidays are all about is something that always puts a smile on my face.”
Foster said that if no one is found the dinner will not happen in 2022.
“We do have funding left over from last year and that will make it a lot easier for someone to take it over,” Foster said.
If someone is interested they can contact Foster at 573-579-7022.