Nov 28, 2003 By Amanda Clegg 3 min read

Jessica Marsh felt “a completeness” while volunteering for Good Works Ministries in Uniontown on Thanksgiving Day.

“It’s what we’re supposed to do,” said the 23-year-old Fairchance resident. “We’re supposed to give.” The Rev. Larry Gipe of Good Works Ministries echoed Marsh’s comments. He said volunteering offers “a feeling of fulfillment and joy – joy of helping someone else with nothing in return.”

And Donna “Granny” Evans, a volunteer at Greene Valley Church of God in Carmichaels, said she wanted to give to others for the blessings she counts in her life.

“It’s wonderful,” she said of volunteering. “I’m so thankful for what I have and it makes you feel like you’re paying back.”

Gripe said financial and food donations from the community and the ministry waylaid any concerns of running out of food.

“We’ve always had more than enough to eat,” Gipe said. “God blesses us in that area.”

Although Good Works Ministries served Thanksgiving dinner to more than 100 people Thursday, Gipe said the need could be declining.

“We’ve had this advertised,” he said of the dinner. “It’s not as big of a turnout as anticipated. We would have been able to handle more.”

Gipe said the need for a free, hot meal close to home on Thanksgiving is on a decline possibly because people feel safer traveling.

“I heard on TV that the scare of traveling has gone,” he said. “Maybe people who were staying alone before are now traveling and people are coming in to spend the holidays.”

But Evans disagreed. She said the need had risen.

“There’s a rise because the situation with our economy,” she said. Evans said Greene Valley Church of God served approximately 75 people, including meals delivered to shut-ins.

Regardless of a rise or decline, Gipe said 25 percent of the people who eat dinner at the ministry need a meal, but 50 to 60 percent are seeking fellowship. The rest are volunteers, he said.

The Rev. Ernest Ross of Harvest Times Ministries in Brownsville said the reason is irrelevant.

“It doesn’t matter if they need food or companionship,” he said. “Just come out and have fellowship with us.”

Ross said this was the first year Harvest Times Ministries offered Thanksgiving dinner to the needy, but he sees a need in Brownsville every day, not just at Thanksgiving.

“I know that there are those in Brownsville who need food, clothing and help,” he said. Christ Episcopal Church in Brownsville offers a year-round food bank, Ross said.

“I would see a lot of people lined up,” he said of the food bank. “There’s definitely a need for this around here.”

For many of the ministries and churches offering Thanksgiving dinner yesterday, like Marsh, Gipe and Evans, they found completeness, joy and blessings through their giving.

“I want everyone to feel God’s love,” Marsh said. “It’s nice to help somebody else that doesn’t have anything for Thanksgiving.”