Seniors attend Thanksgiving dinner at EMHS

The Future Business Leaders of America and Kiwanis joined together to feed nearly 400 senior citizens Thanksgiving dinner at East Meadow High School last Sunday.

The high school Jazz Ensemble, lead by Director Stephen Engle, performed as the seniors entered into the decorated gym after receiving carnations that were handed out by K-Kids and Builder Club members.

After opening remarks by Kiwanians, Key Club members helped serve salad and dinner plates to the long rows of tables while EMHS students performed songs from “Bye Bye Birdie.”

Those who attended the event included numerous veterans and members from local senior centers including Connie Greenberg. “It’s wonderful,” she said, referring to the event. “The children are so nice to donate their time.”

Leah Hopping, 95, was also in attendance. Hopping, who has been an East Meadow resident since 1951, said she enjoyed her meal and added, “The children are very polite.”

“There’s a lot of people who come together to make this happen,” said Kiwanis President Mitchell Allen. He said it took three or four months to organize the event. The school advisors and Kiwanians “worked with me tirelessly for hours and hours and days and days,” he added.

“It is great to see the East Meadow community coming together for such a happy occasion,” added EMHS Key Club President Josh Vogel. He also said it was the high school Key Club and FBLA members who donated the 60 turkeys for the event.

The FBLA, which is now head by EMHS co-presidents Anxhela Mile and Alison Furman, was the organization that started the dinner 31 years ago. Mile said FBLA and Key Clubbers decorated the gym for three hours the day before the event. “We do a lot of community service. That’s the basis of the club,” she said. “We do it to get together, but we really do it to give back.”

“We hope to keep this around for many more years,” said school superintendent Louis DeAngelo. “It’s a great event for the community.”