Potluck moves but holds strong

Mike Swanson

The annual Thanksgiving potluck at Bluebird Park relocated this year

because of construction, but the event’s two organizers still

expected hundreds at the Presbyterian Church Downtown.

David Peck, one of the potluck’s organizers, said a lesser turnout

isn’t surprising when something regular is changed, but his

consistently ringing phone early this week suggested this year might

be a rarity.

“It’s kind of disorganized, but it always comes together in the

end,” Peck said. “I’d even say its disorganization contributes some

to its charm.”

Alice Graves started the Thanksgiving potlucks at Bluebird Park in

1987. This is the first year it will be held somewhere else. Peck and

Ellin Henderson have been the potluck’s organizers since Graves died

in 2001.

“It takes two people to do what Alice did, and she still did it

better than us,” Henderson said. “She was an amazing woman.”

Since the potluck’s beginning, Henderson said people in town have

had the misconception that the potluck is strictly for the homeless,

and only in need of volunteers.

“Everybody who wants to come is welcome,” Henderson said. “It’s a

community event that we encourage people to come out just to hang out

with one another.”

The potluck is held at noon to allow families to have an in-house

Thanksgiving at a more traditional time in addition to a community

pre-game show, or to “graze a little bit before their big dinner,”

Henderson said.

A group of Girl Scouts baked and brought brownies to the potluck,

while a group of brownies baked and brought cupcakes. Starbucks

donated an 80-cup tub of coffee, Peck said.

As of Wednesday, residents had given more than 20 turkeys, and

Henderson expected they’d have plenty of leftovers despite the 300 to

400 people at the potluck. All leftovers are donated to the

Friendship Shelter each year.

“We usually have so much space at Bluebird, but it’s going to be a

bit of a crush this year at the church,” Henderson said. “Even if

they’re climbing on the rafters, we’ll fit them all in.”

Peck, chairman of the Crosscultural Council and an organizer of

the Roadside English program at the Day Worker Center on Laguna

Canyon Road, said he’s hoping to see an increased Latino population

at the potluck this year.

“I’ve been telling the guys to come out, but you can bet I’ll be

out there at 11 reminding them to head over to the church for

Thanksgiving,” Peck said.