BUFFALO, N.Y. —
Setting the table for Thanksgiving dinner is a tradition, especially for Deanna Rusek and her daughter.
Instead of serving a dozen family members, Deanna is preparing to serve hundreds at the Response to Love Center’s annual Thanksgiving day dinner.
She's been volunteering at the center for the past 12 years during the holiday.
"It started as a college chore. I guess you’d wanna say something you have to do, and it turned in to a tradition with my girls," Rusek told 2 On Your Side's Karys Belger on Wednesday.
Over the years, Rusek and her daughter have increased the amount of responsibility they take on to help with serving dinner. Rusek says she has perfected the routine.
"So we have to get the place mats from the schools that donate from the little kids," she said.
"We put the napkins, we put all the silverware and that get’s turned over as the people come in during the day."
It takes the work of dozens of volunteers like Rusek to prepare and serve the hours-long feast to people who walk in the doors. Pounds of food is prepped over days in preparation for the annual feast.
"We had people coming to carve 30 turkeys then we had the potatoes that had to be mashed because people really like that with a lot of gravy, the cranberries. WOW! The pies that we received from all over," Sister Mary Johnice told 2 On Your Side.
Sister Mary Johnice has been overseeing Thanksgiving dinner at the Response to Love Center for decades. She says over the years the need has grown but, along with some good neighbors, she always strives to meet it.
"As Mr. Rogers would say, it’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood. And it is because you see the community come together."
The Thanksgiving Day dinner begins at 10 a.m. until noon at the Response to Love Center.
