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WILKES-BARRE — Like many of those preparing Thanksgiving Dinner, King Adjei-Frimpong found himself pondering the perfect consistency of mashed potatoes on Thursday morning — not too runny, but not dry.
Unlike most of us though, Adjei-Frimpong was preparing the traditional dish not only for his immediate family and friends, but as an effort to deliver meals to nearly 1,000 meals all over Luzerne County through an annual effort of the Commission on Economic Opportunity.
This year, Adjei-Frimpong who previously worked for the CEO and coordinated the effort, travelled back to Northeastern Pennsylvania just to help.
Joe and Carly Ellman, who were also preparing food in the kitchen of the First Presbyterian Church on Franklin Street, found out about the opportunity for service several years ago from Adjei-Frimpong.
“What started out as a chance to help, had now become a tradition,” Carly Ellman said, crediting Adjei-Frimpong with sharing a contagious passion for service.
The Ellmans have two daughters, four- and two-years old who helped to pack boxes earlier in the week, but were not quite old enough to help on Thanksgiving morning.
“I can’t wait until we can bring them with us,” Ellman said.
In another area of the church, Mark Davis and his son Kyle, were preparing dry goods that would accompany hot meals that would go out to those in need. For the Davis family, the effort has become a tradition.
“We’ve been doing it for over 25 years,” said Mark Davis. “It started out just wanting my children to realize that there were families in need. And, now we do it every year.”
Kyle Davis, a senior at Temple University, said he didn’t even think twice about what he and his father would be doing on Thanksgiving morning.
“We’ve been doing it for so long,” he said. “I knew we would be doing it.” Rod Blaine, the CEO’s director of administration, said over a hundred volunteers were cooking, packing and getting ready for delivering the food to the needy.
Blaine said the effort goes far beyond simply giving food to hungry families, instead it sets the tone for the holiday for recipients.
“We give them something to be thankful for,” he said.
CEO board member Maura Modrovsky brought along a friend and her daughter who were visiting from out of town.
When Audrey Glynn arrived last night, Modrovsky mentioned that she was helping prepare the meal for the needy on Thanksgiving morning.
Glynn and her daughter Vivien, 14, both said they would be more than happy to help – Thursday morning found them happily helping with the effort, amid a sea of volunteers and even piano music. Volunteer coordinator Anthony Teberio, said the event, in its nearly 40-year history, naturally draws volunteers who want to ensure that others have enough before they sit down to their own meals.
“We put out the word and the majority reach out to us,” he said. “Many volunteers come back year after year.”
