Downers Grove church modifies Thanksgiving Day dinner

DOWNERS GROVE – Despite the unprecedented challenges that came with coordinating this year’s Thanksgiving dinner, St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Downers Grove is expecting its largest turnout since1985, when the church began supplying free dinners.

As November approached and the COVID-19 pandemic continued to restrict gatherings, St. Andrew’s members began brainstorming. There was no way the congregation was going to halt its longtime tradition of serving the community, the Rev. Gregg Morris said.

“We didn’t want to stop,” Morris said. “From a church perspective, we’re deeply committed to feeding hungry people, so we adapted. This year has already been so tough … and it’s worth the extra effort because this is real work we’re doing.”

Some of that extra work involved coordinating with the local health department, planning additional sanitation measures and reimagining what is usually an in-person event becoming a drive-thru experience.

Morris said much of the work was spearheaded by congregation member Catherine Tecktiel.

Tecktiel, a Woodridge teacher and the St. Andrew’s Thanksgiving Day coordinator, has planned the event for the past eight years, though this is her first time doing so during a pandemic, she said.

“It really became about how we can give people something as close to normal as possible,” Tecktiel said. “This meal is really important … [and] I’m proud of this effort of the church to be a true partner to everyone in the community.”

Tecktiel said one of the biggest challenges was figuring out how to serve the same quality meal as before, but with a two-hour pickup window and substantially fewer volunteers. Adhering to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state guidelines, the volunteer staff for the event will consist of only 10 people, a significant drop from the usual 40-person group.

Tecktiel said volunteers will do a lot of running the day of the dinner. They will bring hot meals to residents outside who will either walk or drive through for pickup.

She also said the church put a big emphasis on finding eco-friendly packaging for the event to limit waste.

Preparation for the event will begin the day before Thanksgiving. The aroma of 15 turkeys will fill the air as congregation members begin roasting them outside.

“The smell will drive you crazy,” Morris said.

The turkeys will roast Nov. 25, but most of the preparation will be done on Thanksgiving Day in an effort to serve the dinners hot, Tecktiel said. Dinners will come with turkey, green beans, mashed potatoes and more.

Tecktiel and Morris both said they expect to top any previous turnout.

Typically, the church hosts about 160 people on Thanksgiving Day, serving up camaraderie and hot meals made with love, Morris said. This year, St. Andrew’s expects to serve more than 200 free dinners.

“The isolation this year has been so hard for so many people and this is our church’s way of saying even though you may feel isolated, we’re still here and we still love you,” Tecktiel said. “I’m struck by the number of families and people reaching out … and we’re learning that we get a lot through giving.”

The church is accepting reservations for families interested in picking up dinners and already had 60 reservations two weeks before Thanksgiving Day. Morris said reservations typically pick up in the last few days, and people are welcome to come and get a meal even if they didn’t schedule it in advance.

Pickup will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 26, at St. Andrew’s Church, 1125 Franklin St. in Downers Grove.