For the seventh year in a row, members of the Harvest Foundation’s Youth Board will converge, this time on Martinsville High School, for their annual W. Dan Prince III Thanksgiving Eve Dinner.
The event, scheduled for 1 p.m. Wednesday, has become a holiday staple in the community. Put on by the Harvest Foundation’s Youth Board, the event provides Thanksgiving-themed dinners to thousands.
“I participated in this event previously before becoming a member,” said Abby Branson, 17, who is in her second year on the Youth Board. “I’ve encouraged family members and friends to participate as well.”
Last year, the event served 3,400 meals, an increase over the 2,800 meals served in 2022. Youth Board members hope to continue this trend. This year, the group anticipates serving 4,000 meals.
“You really get to see how much of an impact you make on the community by seeing everyone come in and enjoy their meals,” said Youth Board member Dylan Spencer, 16.
The Youth Board is part of the Harvest Foundation, a community advocacy group that funds projects throughout the Martinsville-Henry County area. The board’s purpose is to give young people a voice in the foundation’s work within the community.
[Disclosure: The Harvest Foundation is one of our donors, but donors have no say in news decisions; see our policy.]
“The Youth Board is pretty much an organization that works to serve the youth of Martinsville and Henry County,” said Dylan, who’s now in her second year on the board.
Volunteers are not only serving a meal at the high school, they are also delivering meals to those who are unable to make the event and offering carryout to those who can’t stay.
The menu includes turkey, stuffing, green beans, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn, bread and a cookie. The Youth Board purchased the food items from Performance Food Group, according to Harvest Foundation grants manager Stacy Peters.
Families with children under the age of 12 will also receive a copy of “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” by Charles Schulz. This is part of the Youth Board’s mission to help promote literacy, Dylan said.
Abby said the event is rewarding despite the work that goes into it.
“It’s definitely a lot, but I find when all the Youth Board members come together it’s easier,” she said. “There definitely is a lot of work, from delivery routing to recruiting [volunteers]. There are different aspects of it, from social media to preparing the supplies.”
“This is my first year,” said Chloe Wood, 16. “I chose to apply for this because it seemed like a great opportunity to get leadership experience and serve my community that served me back.”
