- Video shows how community members got together to serve families a nice Thanksgiving dinner free of charge.
- This is the 5th year of this event and continues to grow, reaching their goal of serving 2,000 meals.
The Delano Thanksgiving luncheon has served up hundreds of local residents for the last five years over the holiday… but it’s history dates back much longer than that. Two local leaders started this tasty tradition back in the 1980’s and it’s still going strong in 2023.
Tonys Firehouse Grill — normally known for serving pizza, served the exact opposite thanksgiving morning. The parking lot filled with turkeys, mashed potatoes, green beans, and more — all in an effort to give local families a chance at a thanksgiving dinner.
Owner Tony Martinez restarted the tradition back in 2019 to honor his father and ever since then, Martinez says the event has continued to grow.
“The people needed it,” said Martinez. “It’s part of — this is a community event not just Tony’s pizza sponsoring it its for a whole community and the community gets together and puts this on. Theres so many volunteers here fro all organizations so its good for the city to do it.”
Martinez says he is blessed knowing that he has the platform to provide the community with these meals but credits most of the work to volunteers.
Tony’s Firehouse saw between 75 and 100 volunteers to make this event happen. From community members to community leaders, an assembly line was formed to make the experience easier and more efficient for families to pick up their meals.
Among volunteers was the Delano High School Service Club — students dedicated to helping out where they can and spreading the message of unity.
“Helping those in need or helping people around us is important and not just looking for any type or reward like pay or you know I think everyone should try to come together,” said President Daisy Sanchez.
Sanchez has been a part of Delano High’s Service Club for the past three years and believes clubs like hers not only benefit the community but students are taught hands on that age should never play a factor when it comes to making an impact on your community.
The Service Club brought eight volunteers to the food drive, Sanchez says she is thankful that she was able to bless her community on a day that celebrates being thankful.
For long lasting volunteer Laura Kemp — she says she cant get enough of the community atmosphere that events like these have to offer.
“I do it more to help the community I love serving my community so I thought why not do it on Thanksgiving morning and give back to my community,” said Kemp.
Kemp has been volunteering at Tony’s Firehouse every year since its restart in 2019 and truly enjoys seeing the growth in popularity every year.
Describing Delano as a family, Kemp hopes more people show up to volunteer next year along side her.
“This Delano community we’ve always been like a tight knit community big like a family so this event all these other events that we do throughout the year there just to give back to the community and say we love Delano,” said Kemp.
As always the goal is to return bigger and better now wanting to serve over 2,000 meals next year. Event organizers are proud of the work that’s been done and say without the help of community volunteers— this wouldn’t have been possible.
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