They're happy to feed you
<p>Tony Holmes of Coeur d’Alene, left, shares a smile with Zooey Byram of Coeur d’Alene as Mary Ekstedt of Coeur d’Alene serves stuffing and creamed spinach during the free community Thanksgiving Day meal at the Lake City Center.</p>
<p>Hundreds of people dined at the Lake City Center during the free community Thanksgiving meal Thursday while hundreds more received meals delivered to their doors by volunteers.</p>
COEUR d'ALENE - Thanksgiving at the Lake City Center meant a warm meal, friendly service, good company and live music.
And it all began with an affectionate hug.
"It's a joy to greet people and help them feel the goodness of God," said Bonnie McDowell of Coeur d'Alene, who stood at the entrance and met guests with open arms Thursday afternoon. "It's a delight to do this, I thoroughly enjoy it and I get more from it than I give."
"You're the best greeter I've ever run into," Jeff Connaway of Coeur d'Alene said to McDowell. "If everybody were as friendly as you, this world would be like heaven on Earth."
An atmosphere of kindness, compassion and gratitude was prevalent in the center as 130 volunteers scurried hither and thither with full plates, bus tubs, slices of pie and anything possibly needed by the guests. Hundreds came and went during the two hours the free community holiday meal was provided.
"It's a wonderful place to come," said Janet MacDonald of Coeur d'Alene. "Everybody's real friendly, the meals were good."
MacDonald said she attended the annual meal several years ago and was impressed with it then. When she saw it advertised in The Press this year, she decided to give it another whirl.
"I thought it would be kind of fun to come down here today," she said. "It was wonderful, it really was. I saw a few people I knew, too, and talked to a nice gentleman."
This was the 17th annual community Thanksgiving meal coordinated by Mike and Vickie Hillicoss, whose 22-year-old son, Josh "The Flash," was also on the scene to help.
"We held the first meal at one of the churches and we really quickly discovered that was not going to work because it was small," Vickie said. For 16 years, the Thanksgiving meal has been served at the Lake City Center, which seats about 180 people at once. Last year about 1,000 meals were served, with at least as many this year.
"I love it," Vickie said. "Many of these volunteers are here year after year after year, and it is their Thanksgiving."
Vickie explained that the food - the 50 or more turkeys, 80 or so pies, countless rolls, abundant cranberry sauce and sweet potatoes - all comes from the community. Individuals and businesses in the community donate the food and money to help it all come together.
"We had one donation this year that was just so awesome," she said, her eyes glittering with emotion. "This gentleman, he donated a substantial amount, and he said he's donating in the memory of his parents. They both had passed away this year and the Lake City Center meant so much to them that he wanted to support this."
It was the first time husband and wife duo Pam and Scott Hill of Worley volunteered to work the Lake City Center Thanksgiving. Scott was one of many delivery drivers who brought food to homebound people who couldn't attend in person. Pam had several tasks, including greeting, seating and tending to guests.
"We always wanted to do this here and we just decided this was the year to do it," she said. "It's fun; I'm just loving this. I like people and I love to see people happy. This is way above my expectations of what they were going to do here."