Quinton Smith Newport American Legion members Ralph Janes, from right, Tracy Hubbard and Justin Mackey prepare and slice turkey breasts Tuesday in preparation for the 300 to 400 Thanksgiving meals the post expects to hand out or deliver Thursday.

By KATHLEEN O’CONNOR/YachatsNews

How many people are you serving for Thanksgiving dinner? Four, six or 12?

Ralph and Wanda Janes oversee the free, community Thanksgiving meal at the American Legion Post 116 in Newport and expect to serve 300 to 400.

The Legion is one of several organizations around Lincoln County offering free Thanksgiving meals Wednesday and Thursday.

Providing free meals requires lots of volunteers to provide both labor and funds. But, goodwill and gratitude are top of mind on Thanksgiving Day, and hundreds of people do indeed step up to help every year.

The Newport Legion post provides box meals instead of a sit-down meal. The Janes begin planning two months in advance, and the Post’s kitchen is busy during the days leading up to Thanksgiving as the 250 pounds of turkey and 60 pounds of ham are cooked, sliced and cooled, and the assembly line is created. The gravy is made from scratch and dozens of boxes of dressing and mashed potato mix wait in the wings. And of course, there is dessert — pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting.

At noon Thanksgiving Day people will begin arriving at the Legion to pick up their meals, and volunteers from the Toledo Foursquare Church will hit the road delivering meals to people who can’t get to the Legion post. No one is turned away.

And the Janes will collapse when they get home that day, knowing the Thanksgiving dinner is a perfect example of the Legion’s purpose — serving veterans and their community.

Here are locations and hours for free Thanksgiving Day dinners in Lincoln County:

Newport: South Beach Church at the Oregon Army National Guard Armory, 541 S.W. Coast Highway. Dinner from noon to 3 p.m. Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving.
Newport: American Legion Post 116, 424 Olive St. Box dinners need to be ordered in advance, if possible, by Wednesday afternoon by calling 541-265-9017 to let organizers know how many you need. Meal pickup is noon to 4 p.m. Thanksgiving Day. Delivery is available if needed.
Newport: Bay Haven Inn, 608 Bay Ave. Dinner begins at 2 p.m. Thanksgiving Day and continues until the food runs out.
Lincoln City: St. Augustine Catholic Church, 1139 N.W. Highway 101. Dinner from noon to 4:30 p.m. Thanksgiving Day.
Yachats: Yachats Community Presbyterian Church, 360 West Seventh St. Dinner from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thanksgiving Day.