Pocono News Section

Record Crowd Expected at Annual Scranton Thanksgiving Dinner

Record Crowd Expected at Annual Scranton Thanksgiving Dinner - Monday, November 24, 2008 at 5:05PM EST

SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY- The struggling economy is expected to bring more people out than ever this year to a large thanksgiving celebration Tuesday night in Lackawanna County. This will be the 32nd annual community dinner sponsored by the friends of the poor.

Volunteers were busy setting up tables and chairs inside the Scranton Cultural Center Monday afternoon. This is where a free thanksgiving dinner will take place Tuesday night. The doors are open to anyone. Sister Adrian Barrett says, “We welcome everybody that comes, the senior citizens, the single adults, the homeless."

Students from Keystone College volunteered to lay down tablecloths. They're learning the importance of giving back. Freshman Crystal Davis said, “It feels good to know that you're doing something that's good for the community, to help people that are poor and they're not going to be able to have family."

Junior Amanda Rosenberger added, “It comes right from the heart, to be able to give back to the community as they have given back to me."

To give you an idea of just how big Tuesday night’s dinner is, volunteers have to cook up 70, 30-pound turkeys, 1,000 pounds of mashed potatoes and 300 pumpkin pies.

Last year a record 1,700 people came out. This year, organizer Sister Adrian Barrett has already seen need grow because of the economy, and expects a huge turnout Tuesday. “Just in one month, we had 659 people come to the Friends of the Poor for food during the week. That's amazing," added Barrett.

Tuesday night's dinner starts at 6:00 pm. Volunteers are still needed to help serve and clean-up from the event.