The Thanksgiving Dinner began in the Student Senate office in
1972. A student saw that we always gave baskets to people at Christmas,
but people were neglected at Thanksgiving. Within then ten days,
Senate served seventy-five people at the Pennsylvania Avenue Baptist
Church in Urbana. We host this dinner for senior citizens and anyone
who would otherwise be spending Thanksgiving alone.
The theme for the 2007 dinner is "I'm Thinkin' Turkey".
This is our 35th year of serving, sharing, and thanking with you.
If this is your first year with us or your 35th year with us, we
hope you will always remember this joyful experience. You have helped
make these past years special. We, at Senate, thank you.
We are grateful to over 100 businesses and organizations in Champaign-Urbana
who have donated everything from turkeys to napkins for the dinner.
Also, nearly 50 students from Urbana High School have worked for
over two months to make this dinner possible: working in the Senate
office taking reservations, donating food, collecting donations,
providing transportation, decorating the commons, working in the
kitchen, being a waiter or waitress, and all the other jobs that
have to be done in order for the dinner to exist. The UHS Student
Senate truly appreciates anyone involved. If you have any further
questions, please feel free to call the Thanksgiving Hotline (384-1100).
T hose dauntless men who dare sail from
their
H omes for an unknown land of liberty,
A re living, still, in spirit everywhere.
N ow we, their debtors, thankfully are free,
K nowing no royal edict curbs our life.
S lowly, great sacrifices carved the way
G ranting man right to worship without strife.
I ndian friends enables him to stay,
V olunteering their help with the first plants.
I s not such history to be revered?
N o casual gift is our inheritance,
G od keep us true to those who pioneered! |
History of Thanksgiving |
After the terrible winter of 1620-1621, only 55 Pilgrims
out of 102 who bravely sailed from England in the Mayflower
were still alive. The other 47, including Governor Carver,
had fallen victim to the disease and starvation and were buried
on the little hill near the colony.
The friendly Indians who showed the colonists how to plant
corn aided the bountiful harvest of the 1621. Governor Bradford
called for a feast of Thanksgiving when the crops were in.
The Indians helped by providing the wild turkeys and venison.
It was a real Thanksgiving, the first one in the colonies.
For many years there were no regular Thanksgiving Day in
the United States. By 1830, however, New York state had an
official Thanksgiving Day and other states soon followed its
example. Then, November" A Day of Thanksgiving and Praise
to Our Beneficent Father."
For 74 years, the President of the United States formally
proclaimed that Thanksgiving Day should be celebrated on the
last Thursday in November. In 1941, Congress declared the
fourth Thursday of November as Thanksgiving Day. |
Program
Volunteer Information
Donation Information
2005Pictures; 2006Pictures |
THANKSGIVING
DINNER