GORHAM, Maine — For the sixth year in a row, a Gorham family is putting the “giving” in Thanksgiving by making sure people in the community get a meal.
On this day, the shelves at Mister Bagel in Gorham are empty but the kitchen is full of cooks.
Each Thanksgiving, the owner lets her parents take over to make meals for people who may not otherwise get one.
“It had been in my heart for a long time,” Roxanne Moody said. “Just to reach those that don’t have anyone or aren’t capable of putting a meal on.”
Moody’s simple gesture has now been a cherished tradition for the past six years, thanks in part to donations from the community. All the fixins are cooked by Moody’s family and friends, who are happy to volunteer their time.
“If I do something for someone else, then it makes me remember it’s not all about me,” volunteer Mary Liberty said.
Their work produces enough food to feed about 100 people. Sixty had it delivered to their homes in to-go boxes and another dozen enjoyed right at Mister Bagel.
“I think my favorite part is when I see someone come into the restaurant dressed up for the holiday occasion, and they may have been alone and now they’re here and they’re having a home cooked meal,” Liberty said. “They’re with other people from [the] community and out doing something that feels special and maybe feels like a memory from a long time ago.”
The number of people Moody has reached has tripled in six years.
“If we can put a smile on just one person or make one person’s day,” Moody said, then all of the work is well worth it.