Uniontown Salvation Army volunteers show thanks by serving annual Thanksgiving dinner
Volunteers serve food at the Uniontown Salvation Army's annual Thanksgiving Day dinner, held for the first time at Central Christian Church. Pictured are (from left) Steve Wiser and Eva Meier, of the New Meadow Run Bruderhof in Farmington, and Bridgett Arnold, of Uniontown. Wiser said, "To see people have a good meal, to see them relax and enjoy each other's company - that's everything to me.'' Arnold commented, 鈥淚 feel God鈥檚 word stands 鈥� that it鈥檚 better to give than to receive.鈥欌��
Majors Henry and Deborah Weigner, corps officers of the Salvation Army in Uniontown, sat down for a break at the annual community Thanksgiving dinner, held for the first time at Central Christian Church. The Weigners and their board wanted to offer the dinner on Thanksgiving Day. Major Henry Weigner said, 鈥淗ow you make others feel is important, especially on the holiday.''
Frances Borsodi Zajac|缅北禁地
Alyssa Gallagher of South Union Township, (right) who is International Junior Miss Pennsylvania, volunteered with her aunt Toni Fields of Georges Township at both the Uniontown Salvation Army鈥檚 Turkey Trot and the Thanksgiving dinner where she passed out pie alongside Vanna Arnold, left, of the New Meadow Run Bruderhof in Farmington. Said Gallagher, 鈥淚t鈥檚 nice to get out and give back to the community.鈥欌��
Alyssa Gallagher, of South Union Township, (right) who is International Junior Miss Pennsylvania, volunteered with her aunt Toni Fields, of Georges Township, at both the Uniontown Salvation Army's Turkey Trot and the Thanksgiving dinner where she passed out pie alongside Vanna Arnold, left, of New Meadow Run Bruderhof. Said Gallagher, 鈥淚t鈥檚 nice to get out and give back to the community.''
Frances Borsodi Zajac|缅北禁地
Youths from the New Meadow Run Bruderhof in Farmington volunteered to serve dinner and perform at the Uniontown Salvation Army鈥檚 annual Thanksgiving Day dinner, held for the first time at Central Christian Church. Pictured are (from left) Alison Rimes, April Hofer, Jolen Waldner and Vanna Arnold, members of the children鈥檚 choir.
Youths from the New Meadow Run Bruderhof in Farmington volunteered to serve dinner and perform at the Uniontown Salvation Army's annual Thanksgiving Day dinner, held for the first time at Central Christian Church. Pictured are members of the children's choir.
Youths from the New Meadow Run Bruderhof in Farmington volunteered to serve dinner and perform at the Uniontown Salvation Army's annual Thanksgiving Day dinner, held for the first time at Central Christian Church. Pictured are (from left) members of the folk ensemble: Danny Meier, teacher, on guitar; Ron Maendel, on harmonica; Liam Rimes, on guitar; Bradley Zumpe, on piano; Miles Arnold, on violin; Roland Keiderling, on banjo; Erastus Clement, on harmonica; and Dylan Zumpe.
Volunteers at the Uniontown Salvation Army's Thanksgiving Day dinner, held for the first time at Central Christian Church, are (from left) Jolene Waldner, Alison Rimes and Vanna Arnold, members of the New Meadow Run Bruderholf in Farmington. Martha Wiser, who explained the Bruderhof has been bringing volunteers to the Salvation Army's soup kitchen for the past year and a half, said, "Our children love it. They always ask to come.鈥欌��
Volunteers at the Uniontown Salvation Army's Thanksgiving Day dinner, held for the first time at Central Christian Church, are (from left) Eva Meirer, of New Meadow Run Bruderhof in Farmington; Bridgett Arnold, of Uniontown; Jolene Waldner, Alison Rimes and Vanna Arnold, also members of the New Meadow Run Bruderholf. Meirer said of the dinner, 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 a great way to serve.鈥欌��
Terrie and Dan Long, of Uniontown, who members of Central Christian Church, greeted people who came to the Salvation Army's annual Thanksgiving Day dinner, held for the first time at Central Christian. Dan Long said, "It鈥檚 an opportunity to help people and it gets people in our church.鈥欌��
Bridgett Arnold of Uniontown didn鈥檛 hesitate a moment to volunteer for the Uniontown Salvation Army鈥檚 annual Thanksgiving Day dinner, held for the first time at Central Christian Church.
鈥淚 told my daughter, 鈥榊ou cook. I鈥檓 going to the church,鈥濃�� said Arnold, scooping up food for members of the community who came to the social hall for dinner. 鈥淚 feel God鈥檚 word stands 鈥� that it鈥檚 better to give than to receive.鈥�
Arnold was among the many volunteers at the Thanksgiving Day dinner, providing smiles to warm the heart along with the good food served from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the social hall at Central Christian, located at 23 S. Gallatin Ave.
鈥淚t鈥檚 going pretty good,鈥� said Tom Parks of Uniontown, volunteer coordinator for the Salvation Army鈥檚 soup kitchen, as he listed contributors to the Thanksgiving dinner: New Meadow Run Bruderhof of Farmington provided turkeys; Uniontown Church of Christ, stuffing; Third Presbyterian, mashed potatoes; Susan and Charlie Dunn of Uniontown, green beans; Christ United Methodist Church, pie; East End United Community Center, sweet potatoes; and Faith Assembly of God, rolls and butter. The Bruderhof also brought their children鈥檚 choir, brass band and folk band to play music for the dinner guests.
Parks and Maj. Deborah Weigner, who is corps officer at the Salvation Army with her husband, Maj. Henry Weigner, explained making the move to Central Christian made it more convenient as the Salvation Army annually hosts its Turkey Trot 5K race on Thanksgiving morning.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a bigger location with more parking,鈥� said Parks.
鈥淭his is a nice space where they can sit and enjoy themselves,鈥� said Deborah Weigner.
Guests were greeted warmly at the doors and directed inside to the serving line in the social hall.
Terri Long of Uniontown, along with her husband, Dan Long, were among those greeting guests. Both are members of Central Christian.
Terrie Long said, 鈥淚鈥檓 happy to have an excuse to put my dinner off to tomorrow. I always wanted to do something like this, and my husband has to work.鈥�
Dan Long, who is the church鈥檚 custodian, said, 鈥淚t鈥檚 an opportunity to help people, and it gets people in our church.鈥�
Alyssa Gallagher, 20, of South Union Township, who is International Junior Miss Pennsylvania, volunteered with her aunt Toni Fields of Georges Township at both the Salvation Army鈥檚 annual Turkey Trot, a 5K race/walk, as well as the Thanksgiving dinner, where she passed out pie.
鈥淚t鈥檚 nice to get out and give back to the community,鈥� said Gallagher.
鈥淚鈥檝e always believed in volunteering. She called and asked if I鈥檇 assist her and I said, 鈥楢bsolutely,鈥濃�� said Fields. 鈥淚 loved it.鈥�
Volunteers who served food also included Steve Wiser of New Meadow Run, who explained the Bruderhof has been sending volunteers to the Salvation Army鈥檚 soup kitchen every Thursday for the past year and a half.
鈥淭o see people have a good meal, to see them relax and enjoy each other鈥檚 company 鈥� that means everything to me,鈥� he said.
Martha Wiser, Steve鈥檚 wife, said the couple volunteered at a soup kitchen for 10 years in New York before moving to Pennsylvania, where they continued the practice, bringing the Bruderhof children with them.
鈥淥ur children have so much. They need to see how others live and the problems of being poor. They can see it鈥檚 not easy. It鈥檚 not easy to get a job. It鈥檚 not easy to have a car. In the winter, you have to pay for fuel. So many have told us if they can get help with food, they can make it,鈥� said Martha Wiser, adding that illnesses bring bills that are also a problem for many. 鈥淥ur children love it. They always ask to come.鈥�
Ian Winter, a seventh-grade teacher at New Meadow Run School, agreed with the Wisers, adding, 鈥淲e try to bring a message of encouragement.鈥�
As for volunteering on Thanksgiving Day, Winter said, 鈥淚t鈥檚 a time to give thanks and it鈥檚 an important thing to have a physical event to help the children show thanks.鈥�
Eva Meier, a Bruderhof volunteer who is a junior at the Mount Academy, was volunteering for the first time at Thanksgiving dinner.
She said, 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 a great way to serve.鈥�
The volunteers put others first, setting aside their own celebrations or finding ways to enjoy time with their families and friends later.
The Weigners said they and their board of directors felt it was important to offer Thanksgiving dinner on Thanksgiving Day.
鈥淎 lot of people don鈥檛 have family, and this is a way they can be together with friends and feel a little of the spirit,鈥� said Henry Weigner.
Noting the help of everyone who made the dinner possible, Henry Weigner commented that the couple 鈥渇eels blessed to be in this community.鈥�
He added, 鈥淗ow you make others feel is important, especially on the holiday. This time of year, it鈥檚 important to know鈥︹��
鈥溾�hat somebody cares,鈥� said Deborah Weigner, completing her husband鈥檚 thought.
鈥淲e always care,鈥� said Henry Weigner. 鈥淭he Salvation Army is about service.鈥�