‘Our Super Bowl’: Catholic Charities feeds more than 700 at annual Thanksgiving Day luncheon
Las Vegas Mayor Shelley Berkley believes that everyone should have an opportunity to celebrate Thanksgiving Day.
“This is a tradition in our country,” she told the Las Vegas Review-Journal on Thursday. “For those having a rough time — or can’t afford to celebrate it — we ought to make sure that they have a good Thanksgiving.”
Berkley was speaking from Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada’s traditional Thanksgiving luncheon at its shelter’s dining hall. The nonprofit marked its holiday meal’s 60th year Thursday.
The Berkley family has volunteered at the morning dinner for more than half of that time, or nearly 35 years, she said.
“All of my kids that I used to bring here when they were little, they all have children of their own,” she said. “So that’s how long we’ve been doing this.”
They call themselves the “Berkley Brigade,” the mayor said. “We do the hot chocolate, and we take it very very seriously.”
Attorney General Aaron Ford’s family also has volunteered for years. On Thursday, they were stationed at the hot food line.
Catholic Charities prepared 325 pounds each of roasted turkey, mashed potatoes, corn bread stuffing, and green bean casserole for Thursday, accompanied with gallons of turkey gravy, cranberry sauce, hot cocoa and 750 slices of pumpkin pie, noted Sara Ramirez, the nonprofit’s president and CEO.
About 50 workers and roughly 50 volunteers were on hand to serve the free lunch, which is available to anyone in the community, she added.
Although the shelter offers meals every day of the year, planning for the holiday meal had been underway since April, she said.
On a typical Thanksgiving, Catholic Charities serves about 700 meals, Ramirez said. For Thursday, the kitchen prepared about 50 more because the shelter has seen an uptick of families seeking meals in recent months.
Ramirez, who was appointed to the position about a year ago, oversaw her first Thanksgiving Day luncheon in Las Vegas on Thursday. She said she was overjoyed.
“This is the epitome of what Thanksgiving is about. It’s about individuals joining together as a community, sharing a meal,” Ramirez said. “And when your table is too big, build a bigger table.”
She described the luncheon as “our Super Bowl.”
“It’s more than just about a nutritious meal, it’s about those core memories of Thanksgiving,” she said. “Being able to sit with people of your community and your family — and maybe forget your worries for just a moment — and have a warm meal, and have community around that’s here to take care of you.”
Berkley touted Catholic Charities’ mission. “If they weren’t in our community, we’d have to invent them,” she said.
Paul Saunders fell on hard times shortly after arriving in Las Vegas in late summer. He later was accepted in the nonprofit’s “Renewing Hope Program,” which provides shelter and job training.
On Thursday, the 35-year-old wore a fancy sweater, slacks, dress shoes and jacket Catholic Charities had provided.
He was slated to graduate from the program within the next week before returning home in the East Coast, he said.
Saunders said that his circumstances gave him a new appreciation for things people tend to take for granted: a roof over his head and a hot meal.
“Honestly the food here is typically pretty good,” he said. “The only thing I can complain about is that they gave me too much pie, which is not a bad complaint.”
Contact Ricardo Torres-Cortez at rtorres@reviewjournal.com.
