1+ day, 13+ hour ago (249+ words) CLEVELAND " In this season of Thanksgiving, we're reminded to pause and reflect on the holiday's true meaning " on the gifts, the people, and the moments for which we are grateful. Thanksgiving has been part of American culture for generations, woven into the fabric of who we are. As Case Western Reserve University history professor Dr. John Grabowski explains, "It's a universal holiday where people get together to say thanks for the bounty that they have." But that bounty extends far beyond what's on the table. Often, it's the people around the table who shape the holiday's meaning most deeply. Artist Norman Rockwell captured this sentiment in his classic painting of a family gathered together " a scene familiar to many of us. "For the people in it, I am thankful," Leon reflects. "They are my family, and I am grateful for…...

1+ day, 19+ hour ago (22+ words) Thursday's event was prepared and served by volunteers. Community Thanksgiving dinner brings people together Thursday's event was prepared and served by volunteers....

1+ day, 19+ hour ago (1004+ words) The most memorable Thanksgiving I ever experienced wasn't spent around a table with family, stuffing my face with Turkey,which I don't particularly like, and fixins. I didn't digest that amazing comfort food sitting in front of a television set, watching some exciting, iconic football game. There weren't any visits to the neighbors to deliver one of my mother's famous Apple Jack pumpkin pies, based on a recipe Lucy had found in an old issue of the Bulletin, and preserved like a family heirloom. The most memorable Thanksgiving I ever experienced was spent alone, thousands of miles away from Philly accents and the Wanamaker Light Show, in a beautiful place that wasn't home, at a time when all I wanted was to be close to my father eating that disgusting cranberry sauce he loved, and I hated. This was the…...

1+ day, 20+ hour ago (733+ words) As November winds down, Thanksgiving arrives with its familiar invitation to pause and reflect. This year has brought its share of difficulties, but the holiday offers something essential: a chance to gather with loved ones and acknowledge what matters most. The past months have tested communities across the country. Policy changes from Washington created real hardship for families already struggling to make ends meet. SNAP benefit cuts, though eventually reversed, left food banks overwhelmed and parents worried about feeding their children. Immigration enforcement actions tore families apart, leaving scars that won't heal quickly. Yet amid these struggles, something remarkable happened. Neighbors started looking out for each other in new ways. Community organizations expanded their reach. Mutual aid networks formed organically, proving that when institutions fail, people step up. This resilience isn't just inspiring rhetoric. It's the lived reality of Americans…...

2+ day, 1+ hour ago (286+ words) TOMAHAWK, Wis. (WJFW) - Thanksgiving is a time to gobble down and at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Tomahawk, they made sure no one went without a meal this holiday season. For the last 25 years, Julia Pankow, the Community Thanksgiving dinner Organizer for St. Mary's Catholic Church has been providing Thanksgiving meals to the community. "We get together with the other churches in our town, and we chose Thanksgiving because that's something we like, and the other churches, one church does Christmas and one does Easter so there's always meals provided on the holidays," said Pankow. The church offers a sit-down Thanksgiving in their main hall, but they also do takeout orders for anyone in the community that may not be able to make it. "We have a couple that we send to Irma or Gleason, but they called and asked…...

2+ day, 6+ hour ago (43+ words) Bruna Ferreira came to the US from Brazil as a child, and by all accounts, lived a life like any American: playing on the high school tennis team, getting married and divorced, building a small ... Springfield's Turkey Trot draws thousands on Thanksgiving...

2+ day, 8+ hour ago (57+ words) Jane Hampton Cook, a presidential historian, discussed the Thanksgiving that General George Washington and his army would have celebrated around 250 years ago. NTD spoke to Jane Hampton Cook, a presidential historian, award-winning author, and former White House staffer, about the Thanksgiving that General George Washington and his army would have celebrated around 250 years ago....

2+ day, 9+ hour ago (460+ words) Willow Praise Church in Willowick knows how to cook Thanksgiving dinner for a large group. The church demonstrated its expertise on Nov. 27, when its team of volunteers provided an estimated 1,100 free Thanksgiving meals to people in need. This is an annual outreach program that Willow Praise Church has conducted for the past 28 years. Complimentary Thanksgiving meals are made available through deliveries by volunteer drivers, pickup by recipients or at a dinner inside the church, 32901 Vine St. The outreach event is designed to support seniors, the homebound and others who might otherwise go without a festive meal on Thanksgiving Day. "It's a blessing to be able to do this," said Angela Schmidt, a church member and volunteer. Schmidt created the routes for the drivers who delivered meals at this year's event. Each dinner consisted of items such as turkey, stuffing, sweet…...

2+ day, 12+ hour ago (857+ words) Published on November 27, 2025 11:37 PM GMTA couple of days before Thanksgiving when I was 11 years old, the house my family lived in was gutted by a fire. We had been stripping the white paint off the 150-year-old oak woodwork as a restoration project. It was snowing and windy out, so the workers had closed the windows. A spark from plugging in a work lamp lit the turpentine fumes, and a fireball tore through the house. Firefighters arrived in minutes and saved most of the load-bearing structure. But everything inside was melted, charred, soaked, ruined. It was a year before we could live in it again, and a few more years before you couldn't tell there had been a fire there.To this day, I remember this on Thanksgiving -- because of what happened next. Before that day was out, neighbors had offered…...

2+ day, 15+ hour ago (316+ words) CLAREMORE, Okla. " Six generations of the Milam family gathered in Claremore for their 140th consecutive annual Thanksgiving family reunion. More than 150 Milam's from 40 days old to 86 years young across 14 states made sure they didn't miss the milestone celebration. WATCH: 'It's what we do': Oklahoma family celebrates 140th Thanksgiving reunion: Learn more about the Milam family history The family tradition dates back to 1886. The 140th gathering brought together every Milam family member who could make the journey to Oklahoma. Katee Dougherty, who has attended 69 of the 70 reunions in her lifetime, said she only missed the one year due to COVID-19. "It's just what we do," Katee said. The annual gathering serves as more than just a family meal. It's a day dedicated to honoring their roots and learning about the legacy their family-focused ancestors left behind. "I feel like I know who I am…...