Communities coming together for Thanksgiving events

Local communities are bringing people together for family-friendly activities this Thanksgiving, according to event organizers.

Central Christian Church in Portales is hosting a Community Thanksgiving Service at 7 p.m. today at the church.

According to Ministry Coordinator Candace Bagwell, multiple speakers will participate in the event. Speakers include Trinity Church Youth Pastor Zach Cathey, Floyd United Methodist Church Pastor Liz Smith, Central Christian Church Youth Pastor Jef Firestone, First Baptist Church Youth Pastor Garnet Blaney and Calvary Baptist Church Senior Pastor Brad Morgan.

"We've done it several years in a row now, and we pack out the house pretty well," said Bagwell. "It's a community thing to just pull everyone together."

Thanksgiving Day will bring with it a variety of activities across local areas.

The Portales Community Outreach 15th annual Thanksgiving dinner will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday at the Memorial Building.

The dinner started 15 years ago, according to organizer Joe Parie, as a way to combine the efforts of Portales churches previously hosting separate events.

"We're having ham and sweet potatoes and green beans and desserts," said Parie. "It all comes together really well. It's a nice free dinner for everybody that's not got much to do."

Homebound residents can place delivery orders from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Residents can call St. Helens Catholic Church at 575-356-4241 to place an order.

"We just encourage people to come on out and visit and get out of the house," said Parie.

The 71st Annual Thanksgiving Festival will be hosted from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday at St. Philip Neri Catholic Church in Pep.

Plates cost $12 for adults and $6 for children under 6, according to former event chair Marcy Demel.

"People come from all over for it," said Demel. "It's a community deal. We all get together. Everybody seems to get along."

Demel said sausage will be sold from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday at the church at $5 a pound for regular sausage and $7 for approximately two pounds of breakfast sausage.

Demel added food is in large supply with 6,000 pounds of sausage, 900 pounds of turkey and 275 pounds of turkey breast.

The festival includes a raffle drawing for MasterCard gift cards and a collector's tractor with raffle tickets sold for $5 a piece and a fishpond for children to fish out surprise gift bags, Demel said.

Upcoming events in Clovis include a free, traditional Thanksgiving meal from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursday at the Lighthouse Mission.

Closing off the week's festivities is a Turkey Dance featuring the Delk Band.

The event will be hosted from 8-11 p.m. on Friday at the Curry County Events Center, according to Events Manager Stephanie Pierson. Admission is $10.