Community gives thanks

PLAINS – The community came together for a Thanksgiving feast on Thursday at the Shekinah Soup Kitchen.

The community dinner started 20 to 22 years ago and is an event that Marsha Wendell, soup kitchen organizer, is happy to provide.

“There’s so many people that don’t have any place else to go,” said Wendell. “God provides everything for us and so share it. That’s what we do.”

The event spanned from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and with only 45 minutes left in the dinner, volunteers had already served over 100 people.

Wendell could not have done it alone and was happy to have volunteers help her along the way. She said about 15 people volunteered on the day the meal was served and she had at lest ten helping her prepare the meal the day before.

Volunteer Judy Brengle said she loves to volunteer for both the community dinner and the soup kitchen. In her fifth year, she continues to come back for more.

“I love it. I’ve always wanted to do it and I never had time but now I do so it’s perfect,” said Brengle.

In all, the group cooked five turkeys, four hams, 50 pounds of potatoes, two cases of sweet potatoes, two cases of string beans and over a case of cranberries – enough for a feast. Dessert was also provided and people ended their meal with a homemade pumpkin bar.

Although the dinner took place at the Shekinah Soup Kitchen at the Church on the Move, Wendell explained the event was not all church related. The purpose was to make sure everyone in the community was able to enjoy a meal and could come together for Thanksgiving.

“I’ve had lots of compliments,” said Wendell of the food.

Wendell understands the economy is bad and that people need help – one of the main reasons she started work at the soup kitchen back in 2009.

When she moved to Plains her husband had passed away and she found herself alone.

“When I caught myself sitting on the coach staring at the box with my husband’s ashes, I thought there has to be more to life than this,” said Wendell. With that Wendell started a new life of service.

In order to be recognized as a soup kitchen, the Shekinah Soup Kitchen has to be open at least one time a week. Typically that day lands on a Tuesday, unless there is a holiday, in which case the serving day moves to Thursday.

Wendell said it was impossible to tell what the kitchen is going to serve because it all depends on what is available.

Popular dishes are stew, goulash and chicken noodle soup.

“It’s just whatever I’ve got – that’s what I fix,” said Wendell.

Montana Food Bank Network and a government assistance company known as Commodity Food Network helps provide the soup kitchen with needed food. According to Wendell, between the two organizations the kitchen typically gets everything it needs although sometimes outside donations help as well.

“I have one family in Hot Springs that lost three bulls this year and we got most of the meat,” said Wendell.

Donations are always accepted and those who are interested should drop items off at the soup kitchen next to the Church on the Move.

Wendell said everything gets used in one way or another.

“I hate throwing food away. I really hate it,” said Wendell explaining that often times leftovers are either saved for the next week’s soup kitchen or are offered to church families.

“One week I actually cooked way too much. I had a whole tray of chicken and rice left over and there was one family that has like four kids so I just sent the whole tray with them,” said Wendell.

Any food that was leftover from the Thanksgiving meal was scheduled to be used on Tuesday, December 3 in the kitchen.