Side Dish Prep/Donation Instructions:

  • No Nuts should be used in any of the dishes.

  • Please bring an 8-10 person serving size (12 servings for desserts). 

  • Please bring hot dishes hot, and bring all donations in labeled disposable containers to the church by 6:15 p.m. on 11/20. Disposable aluminum pans are available at Hope prior to the banquet.

  • If your dish is dairy-free and/or gluten-free, vegetarian, or vegan, please include this information. 


Thanksgiving Banquet - Roles

Greeters - Welcome people as they arrive; encourage them to take a name tag. Start greeting at 6:15 PM.

  • Encourage them to take a name tag

  • Hand out activity stickers to kids

  • Encourage families to sit on the playground side to eat first.

Kitchen Manager/Coordinator - Make sure everyone is set in their areas in the kitchen/basement. Help out where necessary in the kitchen. Keep food warm and flowing. Make gravy. Communicate with the stage coordinator via walkie-talkie or runners to ensure food on stage stays stocked.

Turkey Carvers - Turkeys should arrive by 5:45 (at the latest). You can carve as they arrive. Reserve any juices for gravy. In the sanctuary, we need 1-2 people serving turkey. Otherwise, people will take too much, and we will run out of Turkey.

Ham - We need 1 person to cut the hams and place them in pans.

Gravy - We need one person to make gravy. You can use turkey juices, a mix of chicken broth and cornstarch, or grocery store gravy packets. Make about 25 cups of gravy (1.56 gallons).

Side Dishes: Separate dishes into categories as they arrive (veggies, potatoes, stuffing), heat in the oven in batches, and coordinate runners to bring items upstairs as needed, in communication with Andrew Gilson and Adri Flores.

Desserts - 2-3 people. Cut and plate the desserts and arrange an assortment on 12-15 trays for serving.

Bread and Beverages - 2-3 people. Cut/heat/separate bread/rolls into baskets. Set up water and lemonade (like on Sunday mornings). Keep an eye on beverages and bread throughout.

Runners - Help keep the upstairs filled during the meal and bring desserts downstairs at the scheduled time. Need at least 7 people available in case of rushes. (can overlap with some of above roles)

Clean up - Need several to help upstairs and about 3-4 to help with clean up in the kitchen. Kitchen clean-up starts at the end of the night. It’s a long, thankless job, so if you’re willing to stay for it, please enjoy the evening beforehand and don’t feel like you need to volunteer before clean-up. Thanks for being willing!