Diners line up for Thanksgiving feast

More than 1,000 people turned out for the Carson Nugget’s annual free Thanksgiving Dinner feast.

Fully 40 minutes after the doors opened to the first guests, the line still stretched long down the hallway from the convention center.

General manager Star Anderson said the guests come from all levels of society and every age group, from the needy and homeless to seniors to college-aged students to families with a half-dozen children. Some are down on their luck; others, she said, don’t have family in the area and just want some company on the holiday. Some, such as two senior women, she said, didn’t want to cook a big meal for just themselves.

“They come from every walk of life,” she said. “Carson City is a great melting pot, like America.”

Event manager James Buquoi said this is the first year FISH has partnered with the Nugget to put on the event. He said it contributed 100 turkeys and, even better, numerous volunteers.

Also among the volunteers were a large number of elected officials, including Mayor Robert Crowell and Supervisor Jim Shirk, as well as civic leaders from the chamber and other organizations.

FISH brought 25 volunteers to the annual event, director Jim Peckham said.

“The Nugget has done this for years,” he said. “We wanted to take the event and make it more of a community event.”

Anderson said the volunteers are making the event much easier on her staff.

This is the 59th year the Nugget has offered a free Thanksgiving feast to those who need it or just want to be with other people during the holiday, she said.

About 1,000 were served last year at the Nugget, Buquoi said, adding that’s expected to grow to 1,200 this year.

“We love doing it,” she said, “greeting each guest personally at the door.”