Thanksgiving Dinner for 1,200

Sunday, November 18, 9:20 p.m.

Chuck Triggs of Longhorn BBQ and Chef Kenny Shockley of Union Gospel Mission are supervising the smoking of 180 turkeys overnight at Longhorn BBQ on North Argonne Road in Spokane Valley.

Longhorn BBQ has two huge southern barbecue brick pits inside and two outdoor mobile trailer barbecue pits that smoke meat with real wood fires.  Tonight, all four pits are full of turkeys being smoked overnight for the UGM City-Wide Thanksgiving Dinner that will be held Wednesday November 21, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Spokane Convention Center.

The Mission is only able to sponsor this event because of the vast cooperation of our corporate partners and the investment of the community at large.  The Public Facilities District, Centerplate Catering, Longhorn BBQ, Wheelabrator, Inc. (Waste to Energy Plant),  Cyrus O'Leary's Pies, Snyder’s Bakeries, Super One, Peirone Produce and Food Services of America have all assisted UGM in this effort.

The result is that UGM expects to serve about 1,200 meals to the homeless and working poor the day before Thanksgiving.  These people cannot afford to create and serve a traditional Thanksgiving dinner.  Imagine how you would feel if you could not afford to buy and cook a turkey dinner for your kids.  Now imagine a community stepping in to provide that for you.  Our guests are just as thankful as you would be.  It is so rewarding to see the happy faces of the little kids when the banquet servers place that hot dinner with all the fixings in front of them.

Tonight, Longhorn BBQ is donating their professional services and their world class smoke pits to help produce the dinner.

On the day of the event, UGM Chef Steve Viers and Chef Harold Froewiss of Centerplate Catering will both have their crews on duty plating up the banquet style meal.  Chef Harold’s staff is volunteering to work for free that day, as are the banquet servers and many employees of the Public Facilities District. Many of them are also bringing their families to serve with them.  It is like a regular work day at the Convention Center, except all the employees are donating their time to serve the poor.

Wheelabrator, Inc. supplied 116 turkeys.  Cyrus O'Leary's Pies donated all the pies, and Snyder’s Bakeries, Super One, Peirone Produce and Food Services of America all contributed food and supplies or gave UGM deep discounts.

Thanks, again, to those who will stay up all night Sunday smoking turkeys!