Volunteers work behind the counter serving clients a Thanksgiving meal on Thursday.
Margaret Roarty | Times Leader
Click here to subscribe today or Login.
St. Vincent De Paul Kitchen, located on West Jackson Street Wilkes-Barre.
Margaret Roarty | Times Leader
WILKES-BARRE — 13-year-old Nicholas Schultz stood in the corner of the dining room holding a tray of sodas.
He wore an apron and a hair net as he scanned the crowd of diners to see if anyone was in need of a drink.
“This has been an experience,” Schultz said. “I think it’s great to give back to the community.”
Schultz was one of about 30 volunteers who chose to spend their Thanksgiving holiday serving others at St. Vincent De Paul Kitchen on Thursday in Wilkes-Barre.
Schultz, who hails from Hanover Township, was accompanied by his family.
“We want to be more grateful for what we have and give to others who might not have as much,” Schultz said.
The kitchen, located on West Jackson Street in Wilkes-Barre, is part of the nonprofit Catholic Social Services and operates every day of the year, including holidays.
Thanksgiving is certainly one of its busiest days. Director Michael Cianciotta expected to serve at least 300 people by the time the dinner was over.
“It’s really important because it makes people feel like they’re part of a family. If they don’t have family, they come here, they feel included. It makes them feel like they belong,” he said.
Cianciotta said he and his team spent at least two weeks prepping and that the dinner was made possible by the generous food donations they received recently from individuals and organizations.
He was also especially grateful to all of the volunteers who helped cook, serve and clean dishes Thursday.
The holiday, he said, wouldn’t be special without their help.
“We’re able to serve a different way and we can make it almost like a restaurant,” Cianciotta said. “Without the volunteers, it would just be like a regular day. But today, everyone gets served at their tables.”
And indeed, volunteers of all ages were hard at work, bringing out trays of salads, pies, turkey and stuffing — all fixings of a traditional Thanksgiving feast.
Over on the other side of the room, Jessica Jenkins and her 11-year-old son, Jackson, passed out trays of pumpkin pies.
In Jenkins’ opinion, helping those in need allows kids to practice empathy and compassion.
“They shouldn’t feel entitled,” she said. “This kind of brings them back down to Earth, I think.”
Seth Purta, of Wilkes-Barre, stood near the trash can, ready to take empty plates from people and deposit the dishes through a window so other volunteers could begin cleaning them.
“Have a blessed day,” he said to each person after they handed him their dishes and trays.
When asked why he chose to volunteer Thursday, Purta thought for a moment and then said, simply, that it was right thing to do and that he tries to help the community out whenever he can.
“It makes you think twice about what you have and what you take for granted,” he added. “People lose track of that.”