Thanksgiving feast brightens holiday in Wellington

By Gary Raham
Wellington Correspondent

The gymnasium at the Wellington Community Church overflowed with good food and dedicated volunteers Thanksgiving Day at the first Wellington Food Bank Thanksgiving Feast.

"I just want to say I've been overwhelmed by the support the community has shown," said Kareen Larsen, one of the volunteers from Kinzli Realty. "We had to turn down over 30 volunteers."

Jonathan Rashleigh, owner of Beauregard's Grill & Tavern, conceived the idea for the event and worked with Dan Gardinier, pastor of Wellington Community Church, who provided space, church volunteers and a list of potential guests who sometimes use the church's food bank services.

"The church had a ton of volunteers," said Rashleigh. "They cooked a dozen turkeys the night before."

Rashleigh also praised Kinzli Realty's staff for great organizational support. Wendell Nelsen, president of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, spread the word about the event through his e-mail newsletter. "It was great to see the community come together," said Rashleigh.

This first year, in fact, helpers outnumbered participants. Volunteer Linda Kinzli estimated that 70 to 75 people ate at the feast, but a number of those were volunteers. The food didn't go to waste, however. Food was delivered to Harvest Farm and an assisted living center in Wellington after the event, and some was donated to Meals on Wheels in Loveland.

"The event was definitely a success," said Rashleigh, "but just in a different way than we had imagined."

Rashleigh said the idea for the event grew out of his experience working for The Denver Chop House. Its program began by feeding 500 people and grew to an annual event that fed 6,000. "It's a way a restaurant can give back to the community they serve," said Rashleigh.

"I also lost my mother in August," he added. "I knew I wouldn't be with my immediate family this year, so the event provided a way to be with a surrogate family, if you will."

As things wound down for the day, a young boy in a family of six drew the winning entry in a raffle for a donated Christmas tree. The boy was ecstatic. A Christmas tree hadn't been in the family budget this year. "There wasn't a dry eye in the place," said Kinzli.