November 23, 2023

Knights of Columbus of Chicopee serve 2,300 on Thanksgiving

REGIONAL
By Carolee McGrath

CHICOPEE – After a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the Fairview Knights of Columbus Council 4044 hosted a Thanksgiving dinner at the Castle of Knights on Memorial Drive in Chicopee. The longstanding tradition provides a free Thanksgiving meal to those in need in Chicopee, Holyoke, and South Hadley. Members from surrounding Knights of Columbus councils also help each year.

“This is the first time we have held this in three years. It’s close to 40 years old,” said Steve Dubreuil, the Grand Knight of Council 4044.

Dubreuil and the Knights have been planning the meal for weeks. He arrived at the Castle of Knights at 4 a.m. on Thanksgiving morning, followed by another crew of helpers at 6 a.m. Volunteers delivered 1,300 meals to shut-ins, Kate’s Kitchen in Holyoke, and the Boys and Girls Club in Chicopee.

“We have been working with Western Mass Elder Care and all their lists of people and I created two phone lines for people if they need a delivery,” said Dubreuil, who goes to St. Rose de Lima Parish in Chicopee. “I have a crew of volunteers. The trays are are filled with turkey, stuffing, peas, squash, potatoes. We also have cranberry sauce, gravy and dessert.”

For the dine-in meal, individuals and families were welcomed at the door by a host and seated at a table.

“It’s a fancy event. We have table cloths. You are greeted at the door. You may have a family come in or you may sit with other individuals and get to know them,” he said.

The council held fundraisers throughout the year to pay for the dinner which costs more than $10,000. They cooked 70 turkeys and 40 turkey breasts. Food preparation for the meal began on Sunday.

“It’s always nice to help other people,” said first-time volunteer, Meg Oleksak, from Easthampton.

“Today I was filling desserts and scooping cranberry sauce, 1,500 cups of cranberry sauce to go and 1,000 for the sit-down dinner,” she said.

The Knights of Columbus is a Catholic men’s fraternal organization founded by Blessed Michael McGivney in New Haven, Conn., in 1882. Father McGivney, born to Irish immigrants, worked to provide financial assistance to immigrant Catholic communities in Connecticut.

“In the Knights of Columbus, charity is one of our missions and to be able to fill that is just incredible. Jesus was there to serve people before he gave his life for us. In a small way we have a mission here to serve; that’s what we’re doing,” said Dubreuil.