Thanksgiving dinner will be served at the Eugene Mission, despite the loss of their kitchen to fire last summer. The mission has been operating out of a mobile kitchen while they rebuild. They expect about 400 people for the big meal.
The Eugene Mission provides shelter, meals and counseling for homeless people. They serve 800 meals a day already to their residents and visitors. In their mobile kitchen, which is basically a big truck, the smell of roasting turkey fills the air.
Marshall Eck is food service director. He says prep includes cooking 20 turkeys a day over 4 days.
“We have turkey roasting pans plugged in with our makeshift turkey roasters. We have turkeys going on the burners. We have turkeys going in the ovens,” said Eck. “We have Raul over here, our volunteer extraordinaire. He’s cutting carrots for the big day. We’re just taking swings at everything we possibly can.”
Besides turkey, the Mission kitchen is making 30 gallons of gravy and 300 pounds of mashed potatoes. Church members from Marcola are making 150 pies for dessert. The Whiteaker Community dinner is also Thursday in Eugene. They expect to serve 2,000 Thanksgiving meals.
