By John Howell
Following the success of their annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner last week, Gale and Jeffrey Bean are already planning for next year.

“We fed a little over 300 people,” Jeffrey Bean said. The annual Thanksgiving dinner that has now been served each of the last four years in the Batesville National Guard Armory by volunteers was the idea of Gale Bean. This year, there were an estimated 70 volunteers.

Gale Bean and Adrianna Ellis coordinated; Lynn Ray and Gary Stanford, Randy Boren and other members of Batesville’s Civitan Club and school groups were among kitchen volunteers. Rev. Zannie Leland and Rev. Jacob Hentz served as hosts.

“This year was one of the best because we had more people to sit down and fellowship than we ever had,” Jeffrey Bean said. “We had over 100 to sit down and eat.”

Home delivery by members of the Brotherhood Motorcycle Club and the V.F.W. was provided to the remaining 200 or so people who were served, Jeffrey Bean continued.

“Whatever you did to make this event what it was, I say thank you,” Gale Bean said in a statement delivered to The Panolian on Wednesday. “Thank you to the entire Panola County area for everything you’ve done for me; we are looking forward to next year.”

Next year, Jeffrey Bean said, he would like to see more people come to the armory to eat their meal with others from the community.

“It’s not about the needy or the elderly,” he said. “It’s about fellowship; it’s all about Christianity. It’s not denominational.”