Gordon Clouser was driving from one side of La Plata County to the other, delivering Thanksgiving meals at the request of families, when he had a thought: “There’s a better way to do this,” he said.
The year was 2007, and Clouser had volunteered as a delivery driver for the annual Durango Community Thanksgiving Dinner. As he was driving, he thought that dividing the volunteer delivery drivers into geographical regions would be more efficient for those who donate their time.
He brought up the idea and leadership loved it, so Clouser volunteered to schedule Thanksgiving Day meal deliveries, something he’s done each year since.
Eight pairs of people delivered 135 meals Thursday to recipients all over La Plata County, cumulatively driving dozens of miles to give others a holiday meal. That’s on top of the hundreds of meals volunteers served hungry residents at the Durango Community Thanksgiving Dinner at the fairgrounds the same day.
Franne Cummings volunteered to drive but didn’t have anyone to pair up with. So she put out a call on Facebook: Will someone please come with me? Barbara Dodds answered that call.
“It’s all about the community of Durango,” Dodds said. “It’s about helping others.”
The pair of women drove around Durango Thursday delivering boxes of turkey, mashed potatoes, green beans, yams, dressing, cranberry sauce, gravy and fruit cups.
While not much has changed from one year to the next with the Durango Community Thanksgiving Dinner, said Tonya Wales, who coordinated the event, the number of meals delivered has been steadily rising year over year – with a few exceptions – for at least a decade.
In 2007, the Durango Community Thanksgiving Dinner delivered 53 meals, Clouser said. In 2017, it delivered 146.
“I think year to year, more people learn about it and call in,” Clouser said.
He attributed that steady increase in meal deliveries in part to more awareness of the service, spread by word of mouth. On Wednesday, just hours before Thanksgiving turkeys started roasting, Clouser said he got at least six calls from the Lightner Creek Mobile Home Park, one after the other.
The internet has helped, too, he said. A woman from Colorado Springs called Wednesday and ordered a meal for her parents who live in La Plata County after reading about the delivery service online, Clouser said.
The delivered food is donated by local businesses and faith organizations. The Durango Community Thanksgiving Dinner uses donations to buy the turkeys, some 50 of them this year, which are roasted at Mercy Regional Medical Center, the La Plata County Jail, The Palace Restaurant, Nature’s Oasis and Serious Texas BBQ. Christ the King Lutheran makes the dressing – or stuffing, if you like – and First United Methodist Church, The First Presbyterian Church and Sacred Heart Catholic Church donate green beans.
“We get help all the way around,” Wales said.
Dodds and Cummings delivered 11 meals to residents in Durango, most of whom were elderly or housebound. One of those folks, Marj Martinson, said she was surprised when Dodds and Cummings showed up on her doorstep.
“It means connection with other people and I’m so thankful that you guys came,” Martinson said. “It’s nice to know people are reaching out.”
On the way back to her vehicle, Cummings said “we’re the ones who are blessed.”
bhauff@durangoherald.com
