Volunteers help to serve Thanksgiving Eve meal in NYM

By Tucker Henderson

Reporter

The annual community Thanksgiving meal took place last week on Wednesday with over 390 meals served. Trinity Lutheran Church of New York Mills sponsors and hosts the meal each year in their fellowship hall.

Lisa Kopveiler, owner and operator of Farmer’s Daughter Rustic Bakery, has catered the meal for the past three years. She became involved in the meal in 2020 when COVID-19 had shut down Trinity Lutheran’s event that year.

“I said I would do it with all to-go meals,” said Kopveiler. “It was because there were just so many elderly that couldn’t be with their family, they were told not to, and it was to make it so they were still able to have a dinner and put a smile on their face. And then to help Santa Anonymous, which we raised a lot of money the first year for it.”

This year, Kopveiler and the church planned for 720 meals which is an increase of 60 from last year. With a grocery bill of over $2,300, Kopveiler is serious about serving up as much as she can.

Starting last Monday, Nov. 20, Kopveiler began with seasoning her 22 turkeys and getting all 30 hams ready. When Tuesday arrived, volunteers from Trinity Lutheran Church peeled 500 pounds of potatoes at the bakery. Kopveiler said that it takes 15 whole sheets of pumpkin squares, totally made from scratch, to feed the community. She said that everything else was prepared on Wednesday morning, the day of the meal.

“It takes quite a bit,” she said. “It takes a lot of time and a lot of effort—and one sore back in the end. Last year, I could hardly walk afterward. I’m closed the rest of the week until Monday to recoup.”

Kopveiler said that she does the majority of the cooking for each meal item, but the teams of volunteers from Trinity Lutheran Church are who make it possible to serve so many people each year. 

“They come and slice and haul roasters and help clean up, do the dishes after we’re done preparing,” she said. “Then we get the kids, we seal up the roasters and they start hauling. I’m supposed to be getting bigger helpers for the potato pots—it gets to be a lot of lifting and dumping.”

Kopveiler’s help doesn’t run short of the many volunteers either. Her staff keep the bakery running smoothly while the meal is being prepared and make sure that customers are still being helped at the counter.

“They all do a good job,” she said. “It’s a good draw to keep the community close and together, help their fellow neighbors, and if there’s enough left for Santa Anonymous. It’s a good time to see your neighbor and remember the things you’re thankful for.”