Thanksgiving spirit on full display around valley

The spirit of giving will be on full display around the Mission Valley this week, as churches and charitable organizations band together to offer a cornucopia of community meals.

“In this area, I find that there is as much support as can be given,” Tracy Plaiss, one of the organizers of the 15th annual Thanksgiving dinner at the Polson Senior Center, said.

In addition to Polson, the communities of Ronan and St. Ignatius will also offer meals on turkey day, each one a testament to the charitable spirit of the season.

Plaiss said dozens of volunteers pitch in to prep, serve and even deliver meals. She said last year Polson’s dinner served 550 people and participation has grown annually throughout the event’s 15-year history.

Feeding that many mouths, Plaiss said, required an army of cooks to whip up roughly 140 gallons of mashed potatoes, 40 gallons of gravy and 60 loaves of bread.

But although the quantities are industrial scale, Plaiss said the flavors still feature hometown flair.

“We can actually cook, so it’s a good dinner,” she said, adding that most items are made from scratch.

While volunteers in Polson have been dishing up turkey dinners for more than a decade, the community of St. Ignatius is working to establish the tradition.

Resident Kimimi Ashley said that after seeing similar events around the valley, she took to Facebook and organized a meal for her own community.

“I found a place in my heart to do it,” she said.

Now in its second year, the dinner has attracted donations from local schools and church groups. She said St. Ignatius Middle School teacher Lyle Cronk will also entertain diners with live music.

Ashley said community meals serve a variety of people, from singles to seniors, or simply those who wish skip the headache of holiday travel and spend time with their neighbors.

“Just go to a dinner and meet people,” she said.