ALTON – Abundant Life Community Church has been volunteering to provide a free Thanksgiving feast to the community for more than a decade.

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Outreach Coordinator Sue Wooden said the church gathers volunteers each year and serves a free community dinner at the Alton Branch of the Salvation Army's Booth House on Alby the night before Thanksgiving. She said food is donated by members of the church and prepared in the booth house's kitchen by a team of volunteers. Wooden said anyone who comes to sit in for the meal will be treated to the usual Thanksgiving fare of turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans and maybe even a little cranberry sauce.

She said as many as 150 people gather for the event each year, despite the booth house only housing around 25 of them.

“We have a lot of walk-ins from the area,” she said. “We have been hanging posters and signs for the event around the area at places like Schwegel's and the Crisis Food Center inviting people to come down and enjoy the meal. We especially want to invite people around that area.”

Food will be served from 5-7 p.m., and Wooden said anyone is welcome to come enjoy the meal.

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