 |
| www.rauljimenezdinner.com |
I got the honor of being able to help at this dinner twice while I was in high school. Imagine a huge convention center lined with hundreds of tables and chairs in which thousands of lonely senior citizens and the less fortunate are able to enjoy a warm and nutritious Thanksgiving dinner courtesy of a large team of roughly 400 volunteers--that's what the Raul Jimenez Thanksgiving Dinner is all about.
The organization got its namesake from Raul Jimenez, a San Antonio restaurant owner and businessman, who in 1979 established this event to serve those forgotten individuals. Celebrating its 33rd year, the Raul Jimenez Thanksgiving Dinner continues to carry on Raul Jimenez's legacy. The event is held at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in the heart of downtown San Antonio. The event features a community-style meal and live music and entertainment. The event is thought to have served over 24,000 needy individuals and is one of the largest Thanksgiving Day benefits in the United States.
Volunteers for the event begin prepping the food for the event a week before the event, and they also help with decorations, entertainment, management of the event, security, clean-up and many other facets of the day. The community school districts have their students create custom-made decorations that will fill the convention center and the tables that the guests will sit at.
 |
| www.rauljimenezdinner.com |
This San Antonio tradition relies on the help of corporate sponsors, local businesses, foundations and private donations. Many San Antonio-based companies diligently donate toward this cause.
If you'd like to get involved, you can Donate, Volunteer or become a sponsor of the event. Anything helps. With Thanksgiving being tomorrow, I figured this was the perfect organization to feature.
Here are some fun facts from their web site
Food Preparation for 25,000 Meals
|
Turkey
Stuffing Green Beans Gravy Yams Cranberry Sauce Bread Pumpkin Pies |
9,400 lbs.
6,250 lbs. 6,250 lbs. 650 lbs. 4,688 lbs. 4,688 lbs. 32,000 dinner rolls 3000 pies
Have a very happy Thanksgiving!
|
No comments:
Post a Comment