By Rita Howell

Year after year Gale Bean watched TV news on Thanksgiving evening and saw coverage of meals served to homeless people in Memphis.

“I want to do that,” she would tell her husband, Jeffery. “I want to go to Memphis and help serve meals.”
Every year she would forget about it until Thanksgiving evening.

“I missed it again,” she would tell Jeffrey.

Finally Jeffery suggested, “Why don’t you do it here?”

So this year, Gale has spearheaded an effort to provide a holiday meal — turkey, dressing and all the trimmings — for those in Panola County who might not otherwise enjoy a Thanksgiving feast.

The meal will take place Thanksgiving Day, November 24, from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the National Guard Armory. Gale has enlisted the help of about 25 volunteers, plus Boy Scouts, Boys and Girls Club members and the Science Club from South Panola High School.

Area churches have responded with donations and other help. Gale’s church, Macedonia M.B., has supported her efforts.

Still needed are monetary donations and a few more volunteers, Gale said.

Anyone who wants to help may call her at 609-3846.

Also, anyone planning to join in the Thanksgiving meal should phone her to make a reservation, “so we’ll know about how many to expect,” Gale said.

There will not be any screening or questions asked to those who come, she said. The desire is just to offer a meal to anyone who needs it, she said.

The volunteers will even deliver meals to anyone who can’t come to the armory.

She hopes this will become an annual event.

“Maybe we can inspire others,” she said, “and our community can come together to help those in need.”

O’Daley’s meal

Meanwhile, plans are under way at O’Daley’s restaurant to provide a Thanksgiving meal for the needy.
Anyone who needs information may contact O’Daley’s owner Lynn Ray at 609-0675.