More than 2,000 hungry people gathered Thursday at the Neal Blaisdell Center to ring in the holiday season with the Salvation Army’s 43th annual Thanksgiving dinner.
Attendees entered the exposition center at about 11:30 a.m. on a red carpet and were welcomed by a long line of smiling greeters offering hugs and handshakes. The Salvation Army’s Island Brass Band blared out "Joy to the World" as people began to fill rows upon rows of long banquet tables draped with white tablecloths and decorated with place mats made by keiki from around the island.
"I haven’t been served for a long time!" Robin Pires of Kalihi said with a laugh and a smile as she waited for her meal with her 4-month-old in a carrier on her chest and her four other young children playing with family members nearby.
"My other half had to work, so I couldn’t really prepare my own Thanksgiving and I have five little ones," she said. "I’ve heard … (the Salvation Army dinner) was wonderful, so I thought I’d try it. And then my mom, she lives in a tent, so she wanted to try it. My grandma has dementia, and my aunts don’t really work to support a Thanksgiving dinner."
A horde of more than 700 volunteers came together to serve families, kupuna, the less fortunate and people simply seeking companionship on a day that’s all about togetherness.
"We see everybody from people that are homeless to senior citizens to families that just don’t have any place to go on Thanksgiving Day," Maj. John M. Chamness, commander of the Salvation Army’s Hawaiian and Pacific Islands Division, said before the event kicked off. "So they come here and they enjoy a great meal that’s been prepared by our community."
Volunteers who were busy behind the scenes cutting up more than 260 pumpkin pies and plating turkey, gravy, rice, pineapple and rolls said they feel like they take away more from the event than the people being served.
"I think it’s important that the community know that those that don’t have access to a Thanksgiving dinner can come to us — that’s what’s important," said Chris Ghosh of Kahuku, who has volunteered to help serve the Salvation Army dinner since 1980. "The volunteers get more out of it, actually, than the people that are coming here, you know."
Carol Wood of Alewa Heights, who has been volunteering at the dinner for about five years, agreed: "I’m a psychologist, and I have a few people who are just kind of very lonely and I encouraged them all to come," she said. "It’s just a good thing to do, I think. It’s probably as good for the volunteers as it is for the people who come."
Kayla Palisbo, 24, of Kalihi said she decided to volunteer last year after searching online for ways to help. This year she returned.
"This is really important to me," Palisbo said. "It’s only once a year, and I just wanted to make sure that I was able to give back to my community."
Her boyfriend, Jeff Baron, 25, of Waipahu, said he also returned for a second year. "It’s not promised that, like, these guys always have a meal," he said. "So it’s just good to help out."
Diners young and old eagerly awaited their meals while watching hula performances, listening to a gospel choir and filling out a Thanksgiving-themed crossword puzzle included in the program.
Guy Kitajima of Ewa Beach said he’s been attending the dinner for 10 years because of the fellowship it provides. This year he brought along his dog, Inu, which means dog in Japanese.
"I enjoy the fellowship and socializing with people," he said. "It’s a day that people get blessed, you know, really blessed. … It’s when you can see all the smiling faces. There’s no anger, there’s no sorrow."
