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Wayland Lions Club steps in to host last-minute Thanksgiving for residents of WayMar Apartments
After learning the community turkey dinner wouldn’t take place, the Lions Club decided to fill a need
Southeast Iowa Union offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
WAYLAND — When Wayland Lions Club President Theresa Ferdig learned that the traditional Thanksgiving dinner at the WACO school would not be held this year, she quickly leaped into action. With the assistance of the Wayland Lions Club and a few community members, Ferdig stepped up to fill the gap and bring the holiday spirit to local residents.
In just days, the Ferdig reached out to Lions Club members and friends to organize a complete Thanksgiving feast for those at WayMar, an apartment complex in Wayland, ensuring that no one went without a holiday meal.
"It all started when I visited someone at Waymar the Monday before Thanksgiving, and I found out that WACO wasn’t having their usual turkey dinner. I thought, 'We need to do something about this,’” Ferdig explained.
For the past 20 years, Greg Stacy and local churches hosted a free Thanksgiving dinner at WACO school for those without a place to go. But this year the event was canceled. When Ferdig learned of the cancellation, she quickly realized there was an opportunity for the Lions Club to step in and serve the community.
"I got home Monday evening after seven and thought, ‘I’ll just make a couple of extra turkeys and some fixings for the residents who can’t cook for themselves.’ Then I realized, this could be a great project for the Lions Club," said Ferdig. "We’re always looking for ways to help out, and this felt like the perfect fit."
Despite the short notice, Ferdig was determined to make it happen. By Tuesday, she had rallied some Lions Club members, as well as other community members, to contribute. A Lion and a community member each offered to make a casserole and another resident pledged to bring corn. With help from Randy Marrow and Sheri Van Elsacker, who coordinated efforts with the Waymar residents, the event quickly came together.
"We really only had two or three days to pull this together," Ferdig said. "But by Wednesday, the word was out, and people were stepping up to help. It was amazing to see how the community came together."
On Thanksgiving Day, Marrow and Ferdig delivered a hearty meal of turkey, ham, casseroles, and all the fixings to the residents of WayMar. Volunteers decorated and cleaned the community center, while others helped cook the feast.
"The residents were so grateful, and I was so grateful for the opportunity," said Ferdig. "One of my gifts is to serve, and that’s why I joined the Lions Club. It’s all about giving back to the community."
The event was so well-received that the Lions Club has decided to make it an annual tradition. "We’re going to make this an annual project," Ferdig said. "It’s important for the residents at WayMar to have a Thanksgiving, regardless of what’s happening in the rest of the community.”
Ferdig says this is just one way that she sees her community come together to help others. “I guess a lot of it happens behind the scenes,” she said. “Not everybody gets to see the way that our community comes together.”
"I’m so passionate about serving my community," said Ferdig. "It’s incredible to see how many people stepped up to help, and that’s what the Lions Club is all about — finding a need and stepping in to fill it."
The Wayland Lions Club’s Thanksgiving effort is a shining example of how a small group can make a big difference, especially when a community comes together to support each other.
Comments: AnnaMarie.Kruse@southeastiowaunion.com
