Students and community members are invited to a noontime meal on Thanksgiving Day at the United Church of Christ at Dartmouth, cosponsored by the church, the Office of Pluralism and Leadership, and the First Generation Office.
In addition to a Thanksgiving buffet that includes vegan and halal fare, diners will also be treated to a warm welcome at the event next week, organizers say.
“We get a lot of Dartmouth families from this church who say, yes, we’ll serve and host and greet people,” says the Rev. Robert Grabill, assistant pastor at the church. “So, there’s a very nice homey feel to it.”
Grabill expects about 50 or 60 Dartmouth undergraduate and graduate students will attend the event, which should suit any sweet tooth—“We’re infamous for the number of desserts,” and also offers something to enjoy later on.
“We send everyone out with lots and lots of leftovers,” he says.
While the dinner provides wonderful food, “far more important is the emotional nourishment provided by a communal meal,” says Jay Davis, who directs the First Generation Office. “The First Generation Office is delighted to partner with OPAL and the UCC to ensure that students can both figuratively and literally break bread together on the Thanksgiving holiday.”
The church is located just off the Green, at 40 College St. Anyone planning to attend is encouraged to RSVP to Grabill by email.
Janice McCabe, an associate professor of sociology, will also bring together students and community members on Thanksgiving, continuing a tradition she started seven years ago, when she became Allen House professor.
“As someone who studies friendship and community, I see the value of community,” says McCabe, who invites Allen House students who are on campus to join her and her family for Thanksgiving dinner. “I don’t want anyone that doesn’t want to be alone for the holiday to be alone.”
The day always includes some kind of crafts, special seasonal dishes—and a unique opportunity to get to know students better, she says. “Through the exchange that happens over meals, I feel like there are all sorts of important points of connection that come up.”
Sign-up information is available through the Allen House newsletter.
This week, the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science will host its second annual canned food drive and potluck Friendsgiving meal, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 16, at Guarini Commons. Everyone is invited.
And the Geisel School of Medicine will host a Friendsgiving meal for Geisel and Dartmouth Health stakeholders at noon on Friday, Nov. 17, at Kellogg Mezzanine. Registration is open for the event, which is part of International Education Week festivities and also includes a food drive.
