300 Thanksgiving Baskets Blessed at Interfaith Service

300 Thanksgiving Baskets Blessed at Interfaith Service

December 01, 2021

“In my mind, the Turkey Drive has been a time of community and coming together. A time to reflect on the things we are thankful for, or that we might take for granted.” Key Club President Lydia Neidermeyer shared her reflections on the meaning of the beloved Key Club Turkey drive at the Interfaith Thanksgiving Service held on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving break.  “These meals couldn’t have been put together without the help of many people,” she concluded. 

Nine students shared prayers of thanksgiving and gratitude from their faith traditions before each lit a candle. Members of the Key Club brought forth a basket of food representing the 300 complete meals and 100 additional turkeys the entire Cheverus community prepared for area social service agencies and individuals. Reverend Susan Townsley, M.Div., minister at South Congregational Church in Kennebunkport, shared a reflection with the community on Luke’s account of the grateful Samaritan. 

After the service, the Key Club member scurried to move the Thanksgiving baskets from the indoor track to the outside for distribution, but not before completing the meals with a turkey and a half-gallon of milk. Area agencies receiving the baskets included Woodfords Family Services, East End, Children’s Workshop, Stroudwater Food Pantry, St. Brigid School, Catholic Charities, The Breath Day Treatment Center, Kids Peace, Amanda Rowe Elementary School, Faith Temple, Portland Police Dept (Women’s Shelter), Wayside Food Pantry and 32 individual families. This year, as the Ignatian family celebrates the Ignatian Year and the 500th anniversary of the conversion of St. Ignatius, Cheverus joined 14 other Jesuit high schools from the Jesuit East province in the Great Ignatian Challenge, an annual holiday food drive competition intended to raise awareness of hunger and take action by working to feed the hungry in our communities.