Overview:
Over 100 seniors attended the South County Senior Center's annual Friendsgiving, a tradition that provides a free Thanksgiving meal to seniors and a chance for the community to come together and reconnect with help from the Franklin County Sheriff's Office TRIAD Program, Leo's Table, and the Polish American Citizens' Club.
SOUTH DEERFIELD — Over 100 seniors chatted with neighbors and friends while eating Thanksgiving favorites in the Polish American Citizens’ Club on Monday for the South County Senior Center’s annual Friendsgiving.
“It’s a tradition we continue,” Director Jennifer Ferrara said as volunteers plated the meal.
On the menu was turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans and gravy the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office TRIAD Program donated, carrots the senior center purchased and rolls Leo’s Table donated.
Friendsgiving filled the gap for free meals on Monday, an administrative day for LifePath, an organization that provides supportive senior services like Meals on Wheels.
“We’re making sure people have meals. It’s also a great way for people in the community to get together, socialize,” Ferrara said. “The community comes together.”
Before volunteers delivered the hearty dishes to senior center members and friends, Ferrara gave shout outs to the TRIAD Program and Leo’s Tables for their dish donations and the Polish American Citizens’ Club for allowing the senior center to use its space at no cost for Friendsgiving.
“Look around your tables and remember what Thanksgiving and Friendsgiving can mean to people,” Ferrara told the attendees. “Just enjoy each other’s company.”
For Diane Birdsong of South Deerfield, Friendsgiving is “a chance to appreciate everyone that donated to us and say our thank-yous.”
“I love our community,” Birdsong added, referring to the senior center. “I made my first few friends here,” she said, hugging her table neighbor.
“Sociability is very important for older people,” Annie Cairl of Sunderland said before munching on the Friendsgiving staples with her friend of 50 years, Gill resident Maggie Vidrine. Vidrine said the event allows seniors to reconnect as they dine, like a 100-person family dinner.
“I thought it’d be nice to meet new people,” Jean McEnaney of Sunderland said. After her husband recently died, McEnaney joined the senior center this year, where she met others in similar stages of their lives.
“It keeps you from being isolated,” Joan Baldwin of Whately said.
Once the attendees cleared their plates, volunteers delivered slices of Millstone Market pies to complete the feast. Pies of six kinds landed on the attendees’ tables, from pecan to cherry, blueberry, strawberry rhubarb and of course the Thanksgiving classics, apple and pumpkin.
“We heard your request from previous years: pies. No cake, no nothing else; we have an assortment of pies,” Ferrara told the tables. The room rumbled with laughter and applause.
“The people that are in charge do a really good job,” said Janet Ogrodnik of South Deerfield, now at her fourth Friendsgiving. “I would never miss it.”