The Sedona Elks Lodge is inviting everyone to its annual free Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday, Nov. 28, from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. Elks Lodge Exalted Ruler Julie Spector said that the Elks had 750 guests for last year’s event, although that was down from a preCOVID-19 pandemic response crowd of 1,200.
No reservations are required and the meal is open to all. The lodge does accept donations, which fund its charity effort supporting veterans and children. The event typically raises between $1,200 and $1,500 for these initiatives, and the lodge also receives a $1,000 donation to cover part of the cost of preparing the meal.
Spector said seeing the community turnout was the best part of the meal for her.
“We get a lot of volunteers through the community, and they bring in their families,” Spector said. “It’s just a wonderful community event. I usually work the food line serving cranberry sauce or green beans. It’s just so much fun.”
The meal will include turkey, gravy, stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green beans, cranberry sauce, a roll and pumpkin pie with coffee and tea.
“We cooked about 20 to 25 turkeys last year over the weekend or Monday, and then we have a whole group that comes in,” Spector said. “And another group of volunteers come and set the tables in our Heritage Room, which is our largest room, seats about 180. That’s where we hold this event.”
Seating is first-come, first-served for the meal. “Sit with your friends and you meet new friends,” Spector said.
In addition to serving the Thanksgiving meal, the Elks Lodge will also be packing meals for Meals on Wheels and delivering food to first responders in Sedona and the surrounding towns in the Verde Valley as well as other charitable organizations.
“The community involvement is what is special about this event for me,” Spector said. “It’s all about the community. And that’s why I joined the Sedona Elks Lodge, to be active in the community, try to get more people out that can be out, and if they can’t be here we’ll get a meal to them.”
For more information, contact the Sedona Elks Lodge at (928) 282-7571. The lodge is located at 110 Airport Road.
