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A Mile High Thanksgiving: run, pray, eat, then eat some more

By Mark Brown, Rocky Mountain News (Contact), Hector Gutierrez, Rocky Mountain News (Contact), Jean Torkelson, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published November 27, 2008 at 9:46 a.m.
Updated November 27, 2008 at 5:20 p.m.

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Volunteers dish out cranberry preserves shortly before a Thanksgiving dinner provided by the Salvation Army today at the Colorado Convetion Center. Thursday, Nov. 27, 2008, at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver. The Salvation Army representative said that already halfwaY through the event they have been seeing more people that previous years. ())

Silvia Razgova / Special to the Rocky

Volunteers dish out cranberry preserves shortly before a Thanksgiving dinner provided by the Salvation Army today at the Colorado Convetion Center. Thursday, Nov. 27, 2008, at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver. The Salvation Army representative said that already halfwaY through the event they have been seeing more people that previous years. ())

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12 year-olds Simon Gnagy, left and Sebastian Gnagy wait for their mother, Jori Gnagy at the finish-line in Washington Park today.

Photo by Javier Manzano © The Rocky

12 year-olds Simon Gnagy, left and Sebastian Gnagy wait for their mother, Jori Gnagy at the finish-line in Washington Park today.

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Family tradition: First give to others

It has become a tradition for Roger Anderson of Oak Creek, Utah, to visit Denver and visit his family and grandchildren for Thanksgiving. But it's also been a tradition for the family to first spend a couple of hours volunteering for the Salvation Army and serving a Thanksgiving dinner to the less fortunate.

Anderson's 10-year-old grandson, Michael, was about to proudly list the two reasons why his family volunteered on Thanksgiving Day.

"One, we just got energy," he said.

Then his sister, Sydney, 9, interjected another reason.

"Two, we don't like football," she said in reference to the Thanksgiving NFL football tradition of games on television.

Slightly, taken aback by his sister's enlightening remark, Michael continued with what was now third reason his family volunteers.

"And we like helping others," the youngster said.

Maj. Hogan said the recipients of the turkey feast not only get to enjoy a hot delectable meal they also can feel a sense of dignity since they they're being waited on by others.

"I tell them, 'You think you came here to give them food,'" said Hogan about the 167 volunteeers who assisted Thursday. "I tell them, 'You came here to give them dignity.'"

Cheese steaks for the hungry

If the hungry won’t come to Philly’s, Philly’s will come to them.

Larry Bigay and his wife, Tracey Struensee, have sunk months of work and a couple thousand dollars into a Thanksgiving feast for the hungry at their restaurant, Philly’s Cheesesteak Grill on South Wadsworth Boulevard in Lakewood.

They secured corporate sponsors, including the radio station Fox 103.5, and talked up the event at churches and in flyers passed out in area schools. Their goal – feed 500 to honor Larry’s late grandmother, Helen Klotzbach, who enjoyed helping people out.

But by 3 p.m. today, when the clicker count on diners read just 39, several volunteers began driving to nearby bus stops, apartment complexes and other public gathering places to see if anyone wanted a hot meal for free.

Pat Gusky, the feisty volunteer manning the clicker, got busy.

“We’ve got five to go,” said volunteer Scott Morrison, fielding a cell phone call from a driver in the field.

A few minutes later, another volunteer called, “Click another seven.”

They may not get to 500 by the time they wrap up by 6 p.m. so Larry and Tracey are talking about where the extra food can go, such as shelters for the homeless or battered women.

“We just want people to show up,” Larry said. “Get some food. Feed the need.”

Those who stopped by were grateful.

Monika Fernandez, 34, who has been out of work since May, brought son Damian, 7. The single mother of three has been looking for work – “anything” – and said it’s tough going.

“I went to Wal-Mart and they told me I was overqualified,” said the former accounting technician. “I just want to work.”

Even businesses that typically hire for the holiday rush aren’t looking for workers, she said.

Fernandez said she could have taken her family elsewhere but she wanted them to share the experience at Philly’s.

“I think it’s good for all of them to know there are people who are really down and out,” she said, “and this is how we have to survive.”

The number of volunteers in bright yellow t-shirts often outnumbered the diners.

Gusky, who like many of the volunteers attends a nearby church, the Southwest First Assembly of God, said she had expected lines of people.

“Either they’re too prideful or they’re not hungry,” she said. “Or it could be transportation.”

The restaurant is in a strip mall in a relatively well-to-do part of Jefferson County. But Larry said he feeds plenty of homeless or down-and-outers on a regular basis.

Still, next year, he said they may seek a location closer to downtown Denver.

Larry lost his own job in January 2007, laid off by Nortel, and he and wife opened Philly’s on Nov. 10, 2007. After Thanksgiving last year, he thought about his grandmother, who refused to let people be alone at the holidays, and decided he wanted to start his own tradition.

“We’re blessed,” he said, looking around the restaurant where videos of burning logs crackled on TVs suspended from the ceiling and Christmas carols played. “We’ve got to realize it and count our blessings.”

Salvation Army sees more families this year at dinner

Terrance Wardlow's last job was working at Invesco Field at Mile High on Sunday when the Denver Broncos played the Oakland Raiders. He got the job through Ready Man labor services.

He hasn't worked since.

Wardlow, 49, who moved from Omaha, Neb., to Denver about four months ago, was contemplating his next move today as he enjoyed a warm Thanksgiving dinner at the Colorado Convention Center. The meal was hosted by the Salvation Army.

"I've been stumbling around trying to find other temporary services," Wardlow said as he drank milk from a carton and stalled as much as he could from leaving the convention center. "I really don't want to go back out in the cold. This is my third meal of the day, and I'm stuffed."

The Salvation Army hosted more than 800 needy homeless individuals and families, said Maj. Neal Hogan, the Army's director of social services. Last year, volunteers served about 600 people.

"We saw a lot more families this year and some of them commented to me, 'Thank you for this. We would not have been able to have had a full Thanksgiving dinner without this,'" the major said.

Hogan said many who came to feast on turkey, potato salad, vegetables and pumpkin pie are not unemployed. Instead, they are the working poor.

Among the families who had dinner at the convention center was single mother, Raquel Chimal, and her daughter, Christina Huerta, 2. Chimal saw a television news report saying the Salvation Army was having Thanksgiving meals at the convention center.

"But I really want to get a jacket for my daughter, and I don't know where to get it," she said. A few minutes later, a volunteer escorted Chimal and her daughter to volunteers who were handing out jackets and blankets.

The Salvation Army handed out 350 coats, and none for a toddler's size was left.

"I did get one for myself," Chimal said.

Thanksgiving church service draws variety of religious leaders

"Thanksgiving in difficult times" was the theme of this year's annual interfaith service, but there was no difficulty drawing a crowd — about 800 people packed Christ the King Catholic Church for a Thanksgiving Day tradition that goes back more than 100 years.

The gathering also drew about 15 spiritual leaders, representing Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Hindus and Muslims. They led the crowd through an array of worship moments, including Christian hymns, Hindu words of praise, a rabbi's gift-offering, and the songs of a combined children's choir.

The keynote address, "Being thankful in difficult times," was delivered by the Rev. Kirk Loadman-Copeland, who is a Unitarian Universalist.

Each year the service is held in a different worship center. This year, the Irish-born pastor of the host church, the Rev. Daniel Leonard, warmed up the crowd by noting that while Thanksgiving isn't celebrated in his country, "I've come to appreciate it. And you don't even have to think of a menu."

John Yelenick, 85, said he has attended the annual interfaith service for more than 50 years. Through it, he said, "maybe in some small way we can bring an end to conflicts between religious traditions and leave a legacy to our children that we can all be brothers and sisters."

Rosa Linda's Cafe serves up turkey with a little spice

Rosa Linda Aguirre spent the week trying to remind needy families and others they should begin congregating at her café about 11 a.m. today.

Whether it was a little bit of desperation, hunger or the desire to taste her delicious turkey servings with a touch of Mexican spice, people waited for hours in line despite the 35-degree weather outside.

"They were here at 9:30 this morning," Aguirre, 58, said as she took a break from the hectic morning preparing hundreds of meals.

As a sign of the economic struggles facing many families and individuals, Rosa Linda's Mexican Café, had sent out 600 meals by 11:30 a.m. to homes all over the metro area and as far away as Leadville. She and her core of volunteers plan to serve 3,000 meals — that's about 1,000 more than they served last year. Why?

"Because of the economy and everybody who calls me has a story to tell: 'I don't have a car,' 'I don't have a job,'" Aguirre said.

Times have been tough for Eduardo Esparza, 28, and his family. His father, Luis, recently suffered a stroke and lost his job. Eduardo Esparza has a part-time job, but it's not enough to cover the bills. The Thanksgiving meals at Aguirre's café eases the burden.

"It's hard to keep up with the bills," Esparza said as he stood in line waiting to collect his dinner with his 6-year-old nephew, Daniel. Volunteers nearby from Johnson and Wales University served shredded turkey, green chile, mashed potatoes, and stuffing in Styrofoam boxes.

"I've been coming here two years, and I like the turkey. It's got a nice flavor to it," Esparza said.

As she always does, Maria Sanchez, 63, made her annual pilgrimage from Park Hill to Rosa Linda's Mexican Café for Thanksgiving with her son, daughter and six grandchildren. Hobbled by aching legs, Sanchez walks with the help of a cane and vows that she won't be denied Aguirre's Thanksgiving dinner.

"We like how they treat us with respect, we like the food, and I like the food," Sanchez said.

Colorful crowds take trip through Wash Park

Neither chill nor clouds could keep thousands from turning out this morning at the 35th annual Mile High United Way Turkey Trot, whether they were running or not.

"You can do it!" yelled Kaylene Luedtke, who this year chose to cheer from the sidelines as the bundled hordes zigzagged toward the finish line at Washington Park.

The 35-year-old holistic health consultant had her reasons for not being up to speed this year: "Actually, I couldn't afford the entrance fee," she laughed. "So I came to support my friends."

The $40 fee helps make this United Way's largest fundraiser, and one of the largest Turkey Trots in the country.

Betsy Vena of Denver welcomed her sisters, Rachel Finch from Portland, Ore., and Heather Duggan, from Woodbury, Conn., who brought along her son, Kieran, 11.

Turkey hats kept their heads warm, and the veteran out-of-town turkey trotters — they run similar events in their home towns — figured they had Denver's trot in the bag. Then came the altitude.

"After mile three it started to hit me," Finch said. However, all expected an injection of turkey dinner would bring full recovery.

Speaking of turkey, Andy Lubansky, 34, had a closer relationship than most — he was the turkey.

"Gobbles" — so dubbed from a naming competition the United Way held recently on its Web site — was decked out in full turkey regalia, head to foot, and surrounded all morning by kids, animals and picture-takers.

Lubansky, who works for United Way, said there are both perks and drawbacks to the job, depending on how you look at it.

For one thing, "It's rather warm," and for another, "I'm a celebrity, but no one knows it's me!"

Highlands Ranch turkey trot honors fallen soldier

It was solemn yet spirited in Highlands Ranch, where Colorado National Guard soldiers participated this morning in the Turkey Day 5K Family Fun Run in honor of a fallen colleague.

Sgt. Jon Stiles of Highlands Ranch was killed Nov. 13 by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan, a deployment with the 157th Field Artillery that he had volunteered to take.

"It's just hard to lose a soldier. It's a family. It's a Guard family. It's someone you know and care about ... and it really drives it home," said Maj. Gen. H. Michael Edwards, who spoke at a brief ceremony to thousands of runners before the run.

Some of the proceeds from the race will go to the Colorado National Guard Foundation, which helps Guard families with emergency expenses as their loved ones are serving overseas.

"We have a lot of soldiers who proudly deploy to serve their nation, but every time that you deploy it seems like something happens back home, something breaks on the house, that needs funds," Edwards said.

Established during the first Gulf War, the foundation provides that emergency cash to help ease a soldier's mind. Even the rough economic times haven't had an impact, as funds in the foundation remain strong.

"That's the cool thing about the United States of America," said Edwards, who previously served as executive director for military and veteran affairs in the governor's cabinet. "Even though there's tough economic times we continue to support our foundations and people taking care of people. We're able to take care of our soldiers."

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