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Thanksgiving Day community meal previously served at Stonebridge Church will be distributed at the City Mission of Findlay

After merging with Cedar Creek Church, the facilities at Stonebridge are not usable during renovations.

FINDLAY, Ohio — A Thanksgiving Day tradition in Findlay since 2004 will be happening again this year, just at a different location.

For nearly two decades, Stonebridge Church has opened its doors on Thanksgiving Day, and served a hot holiday meal to anyone who needed one.

Last year, they prepared 2,000 in person meals and more than 1,000 for delivery.

But this year after merging with Cedar Creek Church, renovations at Stonebridge mean the meals needed to be made and handed out somewhere else.

"We wanted to help continue that, but with the renovations going on at the current facility we needed some help, and the City Mission has been that help," said Nathan Campbell, director of outreach for Cedar Creek Church Findlay

Volunteers this week have prepared side dishes at the City Mission of Findlay's kitchen, while turkeys are being smoked off site.

Though they won't be able to serve the same number of meals as last year, the goal is to have a hot meal for anyone who can't cook one themselves.

"We'll probably feed somewhere between 750 and 1,000 meals on Thanksgiving during the dinner time," said City Mission Executive Director Kathryn Bausman. "The turkey will be all prepared for us and brought over in pans. Then we have volunteers that are going to be coming in all week and preparing the stuffing and the sides and salads so it'll be all ready to go on Thanksgiving day."

The joint effort between Cedar Creek and City Mission was a no-brainer for organizers, as both groups want to not only supply a meal, but to help heal hearts that may be struggling as we enter the holidays.

Credit: Jon Monk
Meal distribution will be between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. on thanksgiving Day

"I want someone to be able to say, 'This tastes like the meal my mom would cook.' 'I remember something different, I have hope that there can be something different," Bausman said.

This year's Findlay community Thanksgiving meal will be served at the City Mission of Findlay from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday.

Guests are asked to park across West Main Cross Street at the Napa Auto Supply parking lot or at St. Michael's Church. 

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