Happy Thanksgiving!

After weeks of planning and three days of preparation, another successful Thanksgiving dinner was served to over 220 guests and 25 staff and volunteers on Sunday at Kresge Lodge. A total of 388 pounds of turkey (14 whole turkeys) were slow roasted to perfection. We save all the drippings to prepare our 7 gallons of gravy and flavor the 130+ pounds of stuffing. Over 100 pounds of red potatoes were boiled and mashed. A total of 60+ pounds of green beans were used for the casserole. Oh no! It seems we ran out of cranberries (almost). I've always made 60 pounds of cranberry sauce but in the past it was too much. So this year I made 30 pounds and it was close, this will of course be adjusted for next year! Then to the PIES PIES PIES! We decided to make them this year and it was well received, but Chad and I both agree, we are glad we don't work in a bakery. Of course we had all the fixings to go with the meal like pickles, fresh rolls and butter, and even apple cider. Coffee was even a hit and always nice to have with your pie. We served over 300 cups of coffee - I had two.

This is a lot of food, but just think if we could accommodate everyone that wanted to come. It seems we ran out of room and had to turn down over 50 people. The main topic of discussion for next year will be how to make sure everyone can participate in the dinner. There are several ideas floating around from having two dinners on different days and others. If you have any ideas on how this can be done, let’s talk!

I must thank all the guests that attended and for your wonderful fellowship. To me it shows such a manifestation of the true Hayo-Went-Ha spirit. This is evident too of the all the excellent staff and volunteers as they focus on their tasks at hand in serving our friends around the community. We all know how important community is and especially on Sunday when we gather as one big family. It re-energizes me and assures me that our mission at camp is doing positive things and the support from our friends is making it all possible. I thank you all from the bottom of my heart and I wish you all the best Blessings for your Holidays.

Sincerely, Frank Rushlow
Food Service Director – YMCA Hayo-Went-Ha Camps