Good deed
 Thanksgiving
dinner –
with side of
goosebumps
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM — It could be the 50th annual Thanksgiving Day Dinner and Putnam Lodge of Elks 594 exalted ruler Betsy Santerre would probably still get goosebumps, and perhaps tears of joy.
Filling a need for those who might not have a Thanksgiving dinner or might be alone for the holiday prompts comments to Elks and their crew of thanks and “this is a great thing you’re doing.” And Santerre gets goosebumps.
As do the 50 Elks plus family and friends and another 25 people who deliver the complete Thanksgiving meal to those who can’t make it to the lodge for the free dinner.
This is the 10th year, Santerre said. The first year some 70 meals were served. And the lodge did not break for COVID. It was take outs and deliveries. This year about 560 meals were prepared.
COVID “reared its ugly head” this year, she said. “For example, someone with reservations for six called and said ‘We’re hit with COVID; we’re down to 1’.”
Santerre said Elk Jim Eccleston, owner of Quiet Corner Transport, puts the dinner deliveries into his company’s delivery route program to figure out the most efficient dinner delivery routes.
This year the Elks prepared 112 turkeys, 55 hams, 300 pounds of potatoes, 250 pounds of sweet potatoes, 43 pounds of rolls, 120 pounds of corn and 15 gallons of gravy. With the exception of the rolls, everything, including the cranberry sauce, is homemade.
Santerre said, “Everybody has a job. They all know what to do.”
Seamlessly, in the kitchen, all the food is cooked and moved into aluminum pans and then moved into insulated boxes outside the kitchen. As buffet line chafing inserts are emptied by diners, the inserts are replenished.
Other volunteers are running through a massive list of to-go orders, putting them in cardboard boxes and marking the name of the recipient on the box. Next. Next.
Heavy solid work began last weekend. Runs were made to supermarkets for the food. Pies were made first and then the rest of the food prep followed. Unless the Elks write ahead to “corporate” there are no discounts from the markets.
How much does this all cost? Mike Paquin, one of the three originators of the Thanksgiving Dinner, said this year, “food, tablecloths, everything will probably be about $6,200.”
The dinner is the brainchild of Paquin, Elk Dick Boulet and his son Rich “Zippy” Boulet. Why? Paquin said he saw the need. At the time, the Elks’ dinner was the only one being done. Of course, many organizations have followed.
Santerre agreed with Paquin. “You see the need when they walk in the door.”
Paquin has always done the fund-raising.
Naturally, the first year was the hardest, he said, but now he has a solid foundation of donors including individuals, and large and small businesses.
Completely worth it.
Someone might walk in alone and sit at a table and Santerre said, “When I look up again, the strangers at the table are all talking.” Goosebumps.

.