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A day of thanks
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| H&N photo by Andrew Mariman Jimmy Walker, head cook at the Klamath Falls Gospel Mission, is busy at work at 8:20 a.m. Thanksgiving day. |
Basin marks holiday in traditional
and not-so-traditional ways
By STEVE KADEL
H&N Staff Writer
This is how Klamath Falls spent its Thanksgiving day:
8:20 a.m. — Jimmy Walker is elbow-deep in turkey at the Klamath Falls Gospel Mission. The mission’s kitchen manager stirs the meat in a big silver pan nearly four hours before the meal will be served.
“I’m steaming and tenderizing it,” he says.
Silverware is already wrapped and napkins are being set out on tables. Close to 200 hungry diners are anticipated, and Walker will be at his post throughout it all, dishing up the main ingredient in a lavish holiday feast.
“I’ll keep doing it till the last man walks through,” he says, adding that 40 turkeys have been cooked for the event.
Despite turkey and all the trimmings, Walker says Thanksgiving isn’t the mission’s biggest meal of the year. That honor goes to the Christmas dinner, with ham, turkey and turkey stuffing.
“We’ll have the whole enchilada then,” Walker says.
9 a.m. — Cindy Quick, Nikki O’Leary and Alexis Deutscher jog on the A Canal trail. “It’s a turkey trot,” Quick says.
Deutscher has her standard poodle, Max, on a leash and the dog lopes happily a step ahead of her. The women say they’re exercising so they can eat a big Thanksgiving dinner without guilt later in the day.
Deutscher mentions that her husband is at home working on the meal.
“He’s baking,” she says. “We’ll see if the kitchen is still standing.”
9:40 a.m. — Janci Schell whips up a double latte at the Human Bean coffee stand on Washburn Way. She’s working alone since her boss left a little earlier.
“I don’t mind (working) because we close at 12,” Schell says.
Later, she’ll have dinner at her parents’ house with an aunt and uncle as guests.
9:55 a.m.— James Edward Thompson stands in the warm sunshine next to the Klamath Falls Gospel Mission. The unemployed construction worker is waiting for the big meal at noon.
Thompson steps inside the mission to call his parents and wish them a happy Thanksgiving.
“Are you eating yet?” he asks. “Was it good?”
He chats a while longer then says good-bye to his mother, Vickie Bank, with, “I love you.”
Noon — Kent Berry, the mission’s executive director, begins a brief service in the chapel with about 100 people attending.
“We are grateful for every one of you being here today,” Berry says. “We need to be grateful and thank God for what we have.”
He reads scripture and leads those who are assembled in prayer.
12:15 p.m. — The service is over and volunteers take their places in the mission dining room. Diners line up to get their food — turkey, peas, mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet potatoes, deviled eggs, cranberry sauce, cake, and cherry, apple and pumpkin pie. Seats fill up quickly as the long-awaited dinner commences.
1 p.m. — Bob Home of Loyalton, Calif., and his 24-year-old son, Rich Home, of Truckee, Calif., shoot hoops at Moore Park. They’re playing a game of “horse,” with the elder Home sinking some nice shots.
“He’s got me now,” Rich says, “but it ain’t over yet.”
They’re in town visiting relatives. Eighteen folks will gather at the residence of Bob Home’s sister, Nancy, for dinner later in the day. They’ll devour a 24-pound turkey.
“It’s a huge one,” Bob says. “My sister is a vegetarian, but she got the bird anyway.”
Nearby, Yvette Molatore of Klamath Falls helps her 15-month-old grandson Riddick Molatore negotiate the playground equipment. Her granddaughter Claudia Molatore, 4, is also climbing on the colorful structure.
“I’m out playing in the park with my grandkids from Portland because it’s such a nice day,” Yvette says. “I’m working off steam for the kids so they will take good naps.”
1:25 p.m. —Ilene Brandon is shopping for last-minute items at Sherm’s Thunderbird Market. She picks up a big can of hominy, a tub of butter and some jellybeans.
“I thought I’d bought everything,” Brandon says. “I bought $100 worth of food, but I’m getting some odds and ends.”
She will eat her Thanksgiving dinner at her daughter’s house.
“I’m headed there now,” Brandon says. “She called and told me what we need.”
Karen Clark is another late shopper. Her cart holds packages of dinner rolls, bread, chip dip and sparkling cider.
She chuckles about procrastinating, saying she’s buying some items for a small family gathering.
3 p.m. — The 146 dogs and cats boarded at Double-C Dog Training Inc. are getting care from the four-person afternoon staff. Tammy Jones says the animals need the basics, Thanksgiving or no Thanksgiving.
“We’re feeding the dogs, cleaning messes, and giving medicine,” she says. “They’ve got needs too. They are our dogs while they’re here.”
Jones admits being partial to a pair of golden retrievers that have been boarded.
“These are my real babies,” she says, cuddling with 12-year-old Abby and 8-year-old Blazer in their kennel.
Jones doesn’t mind working the holiday because her daughter is at home making the day’s meal.
“Sometimes it pays off to work,” she says with a grin.
3:40 p.m. — Gas attendant James Fines fills the tank of a customer’s car at the Shell station at Washburn Way and South Sixth Street. He’s working a 2 to 6 p.m. shift, and says it hasn’t been very busy.
“This is the first year I’ve missed a Thanksgiving, but it’s only four hours so I guess it won’t kill me,” he says.
4 p.m. — Kathleen Jackson greets three customers at the Sizzler restaurant and takes their order for an eight-ounce steak and two salad bars. Sizzler is offering a special turkey dinner with all the trimmings today, and Jackson said it has been more popular than steaks.
4:25 p.m. — Only one shopper browses the titles at Blockbuster Video at South Sixth and Avalon streets. Assistant manager Greg Shields said business has been off and on during the afternoon, but he anticipates it will pick up soon.
“When people get done eating and have a big belly they’ll take a nap and let it digest,” he says. “Then they’ll get bored and come in.”
8:20 a.m. — Jimmy Walker is elbow-deep in turkey at the Klamath Falls Gospel Mission. The mission’s kitchen manager stirs the meat in a big silver pan nearly four hours before the meal will be served.
“I’m steaming and tenderizing it,” he says.
Silverware is already wrapped and napkins are being set out on tables. Close to 200 hungry diners are anticipated, and Walker will be at his post throughout it all, dishing up the main ingredient in a lavish holiday feast.
“I’ll keep doing it till the last man walks through,” he says, adding that 40 turkeys have been cooked for the event.
Despite turkey and all the trimmings, Walker says Thanksgiving isn’t the mission’s biggest meal of the year. That honor goes to the Christmas dinner, with ham, turkey and turkey stuffing.
“We’ll have the whole enchilada then,” Walker says.
9 a.m. — Cindy Quick, Nikki O’Leary and Alexis Deutscher jog on the A Canal trail. “It’s a turkey trot,” Quick says.
Deutscher has her standard poodle, Max, on a leash and the dog lopes happily a step ahead of her. The women say they’re exercising so they can eat a big Thanksgiving dinner without guilt later in the day.
Deutscher mentions that her husband is at home working on the meal.
“He’s baking,” she says. “We’ll see if the kitchen is still standing.”
9:40 a.m. — Janci Schell whips up a double latte at the Human Bean coffee stand on Washburn Way. She’s working alone since her boss left a little earlier.
“I don’t mind (working) because we close at 12,” Schell says.
Later, she’ll have dinner at her parents’ house with an aunt and uncle as guests.
9:55 a.m.— James Edward Thompson stands in the warm sunshine next to the Klamath Falls Gospel Mission. The unemployed construction worker is waiting for the big meal at noon.
Thompson steps inside the mission to call his parents and wish them a happy Thanksgiving.
“Are you eating yet?” he asks. “Was it good?”
He chats a while longer then says good-bye to his mother, Vickie Bank, with, “I love you.”
Noon — Kent Berry, the mission’s executive director, begins a brief service in the chapel with about 100 people attending.
“We are grateful for every one of you being here today,” Berry says. “We need to be grateful and thank God for what we have.”
He reads scripture and leads those who are assembled in prayer.
12:15 p.m. — The service is over and volunteers take their places in the mission dining room. Diners line up to get their food — turkey, peas, mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet potatoes, deviled eggs, cranberry sauce, cake, and cherry, apple and pumpkin pie. Seats fill up quickly as the long-awaited dinner commences.
1 p.m. — Bob Home of Loyalton, Calif., and his 24-year-old son, Rich Home, of Truckee, Calif., shoot hoops at Moore Park. They’re playing a game of “horse,” with the elder Home sinking some nice shots.
“He’s got me now,” Rich says, “but it ain’t over yet.”
They’re in town visiting relatives. Eighteen folks will gather at the residence of Bob Home’s sister, Nancy, for dinner later in the day. They’ll devour a 24-pound turkey.
“It’s a huge one,” Bob says. “My sister is a vegetarian, but she got the bird anyway.”
Nearby, Yvette Molatore of Klamath Falls helps her 15-month-old grandson Riddick Molatore negotiate the playground equipment. Her granddaughter Claudia Molatore, 4, is also climbing on the colorful structure.
“I’m out playing in the park with my grandkids from Portland because it’s such a nice day,” Yvette says. “I’m working off steam for the kids so they will take good naps.”
1:25 p.m. —Ilene Brandon is shopping for last-minute items at Sherm’s Thunderbird Market. She picks up a big can of hominy, a tub of butter and some jellybeans.
“I thought I’d bought everything,” Brandon says. “I bought $100 worth of food, but I’m getting some odds and ends.”
She will eat her Thanksgiving dinner at her daughter’s house.
“I’m headed there now,” Brandon says. “She called and told me what we need.”
Karen Clark is another late shopper. Her cart holds packages of dinner rolls, bread, chip dip and sparkling cider.
She chuckles about procrastinating, saying she’s buying some items for a small family gathering.
3 p.m. — The 146 dogs and cats boarded at Double-C Dog Training Inc. are getting care from the four-person afternoon staff. Tammy Jones says the animals need the basics, Thanksgiving or no Thanksgiving.
“We’re feeding the dogs, cleaning messes, and giving medicine,” she says. “They’ve got needs too. They are our dogs while they’re here.”
Jones admits being partial to a pair of golden retrievers that have been boarded.
“These are my real babies,” she says, cuddling with 12-year-old Abby and 8-year-old Blazer in their kennel.
Jones doesn’t mind working the holiday because her daughter is at home making the day’s meal.
“Sometimes it pays off to work,” she says with a grin.
3:40 p.m. — Gas attendant James Fines fills the tank of a customer’s car at the Shell station at Washburn Way and South Sixth Street. He’s working a 2 to 6 p.m. shift, and says it hasn’t been very busy.
“This is the first year I’ve missed a Thanksgiving, but it’s only four hours so I guess it won’t kill me,” he says.
4 p.m. — Kathleen Jackson greets three customers at the Sizzler restaurant and takes their order for an eight-ounce steak and two salad bars. Sizzler is offering a special turkey dinner with all the trimmings today, and Jackson said it has been more popular than steaks.
4:25 p.m. — Only one shopper browses the titles at Blockbuster Video at South Sixth and Avalon streets. Assistant manager Greg Shields said business has been off and on during the afternoon, but he anticipates it will pick up soon.
“When people get done eating and have a big belly they’ll take a nap and let it digest,” he says. “Then they’ll get bored and come in.”
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