November 23, 2022
The Mettawee Community School’s Annual Thanksgiving Feast holds a special place in the hearts of current and former students and staff. “When I was growing up, it was my favorite day of the school year,” said Mettawee School District Chair, Julie Mach. “The kids hosting, the parents volunteering and our senior guests enjoying the moment. It brought our whole community together. I just loved it.”
After being placed on hold during the pandemic, the Thanksgiving Feast is back. Mettawee celebrated this year’s community gathering on Tuesday, November 22. Some 270 students and special guests enjoyed a lunch of roast turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, corn, squash, applesauce, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin and apple pie.
The food and festive atmosphere were delicious, but nothing beat the sweetness of the kindergartners who stole the show. The class lined up onstage, with a little help from their teacher Lauren Kelly and music instructor Lisa Hoyt. The little ones broke out into a song, “Things I’m Thankful For.”
I’m thankful for the earth
I’m thankful for the sea
I’m thankful for my friends
And I’m thankful to be me.
Each youngster then addressed the crowd with something they were most grateful for: a dog, a cat, friends, family, a baby brother and, of course, a mom, made the list.
The feast is a collaborative effort that succeeds only with the help of an enthusiastic crew, including food service personnel, custodians, para educators and volunteers made up of former students and parents. A special shout-out went to Mettawee Administrative Assistant Heidi Hammell who handled all the logistics for the special occasion -- from sending invitations to lining up volunteers to arranging decorations and moving a few hundred people of all ages through a buffet line. Without a hitch! “Let’s hope no one drops a gravy bowl,” she said.
As the meal ended the Mettawee 5th and 6th Grade chorus closed the show with a medley of holiday classics, such as “Over the River and Through the Woods” and “Albuquerque Turkey.” A chance to hear the kids sing about a pet turkey whose family eats hamburger on Thanksgiving had a special appeal to one volunteer, “It’s always been my favorite Thanksgiving song,” says Long Trail senior, Harlow Quail, a Mettawee alum and a volunteer at this year’s Feast. “It makes me smile.”
And Harlow was not alone.
“It has been too long,” says MCS Principal Brooke DeBonis. “We need this chance to take a deep breath and give thanks for how we pulled together as a community during the pandemic. It was wonderful to have so many guests and volunteers here today to enjoy this time with our kids. Students, parents, and seniors, that’s three generations celebrating a moment together. This day means a lot.”
