Silver Springs, Stagecoach to share holiday feast on Saturday

Residents of Stagecoach and Silver Springs will be treated to a community Thanksgiving feast Saturday afternoon.

"It's a neat opportunity for families to come together and eat and talk and celebrate as a community," said Jim Gianotti, principal of Silver Springs Elementary School.

Each month, the principals of the three schools in Silver Springs and Stagecoach meet to discuss the needs of their students and parents.

After a county-wide assessment last year by the Silver Springs Chamber of Commerce determined the schools to be the focal point of the communities, the principals decided to take a leadership role.

"Due to the economy, we batted the idea around of putting on a Thanksgiving dinner for families in need," Gianotti explained. "Everybody was in favor of it."

However, once they presented the idea to the chamber of commerce, it grew beyond what they had envisioned.

"We got all sorts of people donating and volunteering to help," he said.

They have collected enough turkey and trimmings to feed 900 people, Gianotti said, and have expanded the invitation to all members of the community.

"Since this is our first year doing it, we don't know how many people to expect," he said. "We're hoping it goes off without a hitch."

Millie Andrews, food services supervisor for the Lyon County School District, volunteered to oversee preparation of the meal. High school groups have stepped forward to help set up and seat people, and other members of the community have offered their services as well.

"This has been a real community effort," Gianotti said. "We've all worked together."

Guests will be served

2-5 p.m. Saturday at Silver Stage High School, 3755 W. Spruce Ave.

In addition to feeding guests, Gianotti said, he hopes the meal will unify them.

"Silver Springs and Stagecoach are the communities we serve," he said. "But there is kind of a separation between them. The schools are smack dab in the middle. To bring everybody together is really a community-building effort.

"I think it's phenomenal. There's huge value in it."

If you go

WHAT: Community Thanksgiving dinner for Stagecoach and Silver Springs

WHEN: 2-5 p.m. Saturday

WHERE: Silver Stage High School, 3755 W. Spruce Ave.