Hudson – Over 100 people lined up outside of the Hudson Senior Center, in the pouring rain, for the eighth annual Thanksgiving Lunch.
Senior Center Director Janice Long said the lunch has always had a big turnout and is an important event for older residents because many of them don’t have family members nearby.
Hudson-based Plastic Molding Manufacturing sponsored the lunch, providing free turkey dinners with all the fixings. Everyone’s stomachs were filled with food catered by The Buffet Way, based out of Marlborough.
“I wanted to give back to our community,” said Plastic Molding Manufacturing’s CEO George E. Danis. “I want to participate and serve the community as often as I can.”
About a dozen Plastic Molding Manufacturing employees handed out meals. Lara Garrett, who coordinated volunteers for Sunday’s event, made sure everything was running smoothly.
“The seniors are the heart and soul of the community. We wanted to give back and be able to provide them with warm, home cooked meals,” she said.
“I look forward to this event every year. I really appreciate all that they do for us to enjoy Thanksgiving. Much of my family lives in Texas so I don’t get to enjoy my holidays with them all of the time so it’s nice to get together with my friends,” Rosanna of Hudson said.
Assabet Valley Regional Technical High School’s National Honor Society students volunteered to help clean up after the event. With the help of their advisor, Alicia Coderre, the students, Tyler Boucher, Lily Kinz, Makenna Noble, and Catherine Pollard also helped pass out pies and coffee.
“Seeing young people volunteer to give us a great experience was extremely thoughtful,” one senior resident said. “We don’t usually get to talk with the younger generation so it was really nice that they came out to help.”
