Heather Carl sat down in a Southwest Greensburg church and shared a hearty Thanksgiving meal with family and friends — a full week before the actual holiday.

“We came here for the fellowship,” said Carl, 48, a Jeannette resident who was accompanied Thursday by her son, Heath Rowe, and her mother, Denise Carl, at the Covenant Care Ministries building on Sidney Street.

Her family was among about 80 people who enjoyed the sumptuous free meal of turkey, ham, potatoes, sweet potatoes and a table full of desserts.

The meal offered to those in need is a tradition for Covenant Care Ministries and Seed Ministries of Delmont.

The Rev. Altmon Birt, owner of the church building, said they have been serving a Thanksgiving meal to those in need for about a dozen years. That included last year, before any covid vaccines were available. With the coronavirus still unabated in 2020, there was a mixture of people eating inside the church and others taking meals home, Birt said.

Carolyn Madden and husband Howard of Hempfield, who operate Seed Ministries of Delmont and its various outreach programs, said they “do it for Jesus” — and have been doing so for some 29 years.

They started preparing the meal Tuesday, then cooked two 15-pound spiral hams and a 26-pound turkey.

“It took me all month to gather the food,” Carolyn Madden said.

Among those benefiting from the outreach was Jim Amoroso, 84, of Hempfield, who came because he is friends with the pastor and wanted to show support for the church.

Gary Baum, 69, of Hempfield, who operated the former Cook’s Market in Greensburg, came to the meal because this is where he goes to church. Baum said he likes the friendly atmosphere and the small congregation. His wife, Elizabeth, helped to serve stuffing.

“We’re doing it for our brothers and sisters in Christ,” said another food server, Eileen Barton of Greensburg, who is the treasurer for Covenant Care Ministries. “We want to be a blessing to the community. It is a labor of love.”

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