Community Thanksgiving Dinner planned: Gathering at Center Firehouse

A festive Island holiday tradition will return this Thanksgiving, with a dinner hosted by the Lions Club, The Shelter Island Fire Department and the Senior Citizens Foundation of Shelter Island, Inc.

A hearty meal of turkey, stuffing, gravy, mashed potatoes, vegetable and pie, cooked by Jamie Cogan, will be catered at the Center Firehouse at 2 p.m. on Nov. 25.

Information is available from the Senior Center at 631-749-1059. Rides on the senior bus can be provided if arranged in advance. Also, home delivery is available for those who can’t travel to the Firehouse.

The dinner has been an annual event for 15 years, according to Mary-Faith Westervelt, one of the organizers. It had been held at the Presbyterian Church Hall, organized by Dana and Emily Hallman. It grew very popular and larger over the years, but had to be canceled last year due to the COVID lockdown.

The free dinner is especially geared to Islanders who may be observing the holiday alone or in small households, but is open to all. Ms. Westervelt said the attendance is estimated at about 80 guests, with about 20 dinners to be delivered to homebound Islanders.