A thankful community

COEUR d'ALENE — When Don Krupp awoke on Thanksgiving morning, his first thought was that he should bring a warm meal to his neighbors, who are older and don't get out much.

Then he heard something on the radio that solidified his thoughts about caring for others and being thankful for what he has.

“One lady called in and said, 'Because of our income level, we had to move to a place where the only way I can wash dishes is in the bathroom because we had to get a cheap place and couldn’t afford anything else.' Then she went on to say that she was so thankful that they lived in a country that’s free and she was just thankful they had a place to live, they weren’t out in the cold,” said Krupp, of Coeur d'Alene. "No matter what situation you are in life, you must still give thanks. I read somewhere that no matter what situation you are in life, be thankful for it, accept it, be thankful."

Don and his wife, Linda, were thankful Thursday for Fedora Pub and Grille's free community Thanksgiving dinner, where they dined with their daughter, Tina Copsey of Spokane. It was the Krupps' third year enjoying the restaurant-served Thanksgiving meal of turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, green beans, cranberry sauce and more. Linda said with a laugh that what keeps her coming back is “my children not coming home” — no cooking mess and no stress for her.

“We like it," Linda said of Fedora's Thanks-giving feast. "It’s really nice; they serve a very good meal."

“I’m very impressed,” Copsey said. “They do this to help the community out. I think it’s great.”

The restaurant was bustling with dozens of volunteers and fedora-

topped servers who worked quickly while never losing a smile. Football played on the TVs, a live musician serenaded guests and children colored to their hearts' content in the kids corner.

"I just like helping people," said volunteer Johanna Ramb, 17, of Coeur d'Alene. "They come in and you help make their day special and make them happy."

John Malee, who owns Fedora with his wife, Mallory, said they were expecting to feed between 1,800-2,000 people and maybe more because of the windstorm's power outages. Within an hour of opening the doors, they had already served 600 people. He said this event would not be possible if it wasn't for United Way, ElderHelp of North Idaho, Rotary, Kiwanis and the Kroc Center as well as the tireless work of the volunteers.

"Without a lot of the support from our community and the organizations in town, we could not do this," he said. “It's like a big extension of our family, we’re so blessed. This is our way of giving back.”

Across town, another Thanksgiving meal was filling the bellies and warming the hearts of community members. The Lake City Center celebrated its 18th year serving the free meal, which was started and is still coordinated by Mike Hillicoss and his wife, Vickie, of Newman Lake. Their daughter, Jennica Hillicoss of Spokane, has been a main volunteer for several years and spent hours decorating the center Wednesday evening to create a festive and welcoming atmosphere.

"I don't think I remember a traditional Thanksgiving. This is my tradition," she said. "I think that it gives me a reason to enjoy Thanksgiving. Instead of just sitting down with my family, I get to sit down with the family of Coeur d'Alene and eat and have a meal and enjoy everyone's company. This meal, to me, what's important about it is to make other people feel important and a part of the community and a part of something when they might not have something else to be a part of. I just like the big family feeling that it gives me. We see some of the same faces every year, and we have people hugging all the time."

Live music floated through the center from the musicians on stage as guests enjoyed a traditional turkey meal with all the trimmings and a wide assortment of pies. Volunteers rushed this way and that as they made sure every person was comfortable and satisfied. The tables were decorated with little trees and construction paper leaves on which guests could write what they were thankful for. Jennica said those leaves will be sent to the event's donors so they can see how their contributions affected each individual person.

Nanette Bagley of Post Falls has been attending Lake City Center's Thanksgiving for 15 years. She said several aspects keep her coming back.

"The volunteers, Santa Claus, the music, the food," she said. "It's truly amazing."

Her friend, Jim Parker of Post Falls, was also happy to attend.

"I was able to meet some friends here and get a picture with Santa," he said, grinning. "It's wonderful to see all the people here and all the people that are volunteering and helping people have a nice Thanksgiving."

Mike and Vickie reported 1,007 meals were served this year, including meals delivered, served in house and taken to go.

"It’s all created and comes to fruition from the community,” Mike said. "The community bends over backwards and does backflips and does whatever it needs to make it happen.

"One of my favorite moments is when I come out in the dining room and maybe get a drink of water, and some of these people, the guests we're serving, it's the thanks," he said. "Older ladies might give me a hug or a kiss on the cheek.

"The Coeur d'Alene community, its generous heart, is overwhelming to me."