ROGERS, Ark. — The Care Community Center hosted its 15th Annual Community Thanksgiving Feast on Thursday, Nov. 24 in Rogers.
The idea started with Couple John and Nicole Chervenyak after they moved to Northwest Arkansas and experienced a lonely Thanksgiving. Now, they invite anybody and everybody to their Thanksgiving table.
"We didn't have family or friends. So we just thought it would be a great place to, you know, make sure the community can come out of there alone, like we were, or didn't have a Thanksgiving dinner that they had something," said Nicole.
This year's event had around 800 people fed by the Chervenyak's Thanksgiving feast.
"Everybody belongs here. We don't care who you are, where you're from, what you are, where you're part of our community, you're our neighbor and we want to see you want to see your face in the place," said Kimberly Porter, executive director of the Care Community Center.
"To see other people come and eat and be able to eat or to go different places to eat. You know, that still makes me feel good in my heart. You know, God bless everybody. And this is another blessing that we're doing," said Russell Franklin with the Care Community Center.
"It's an inspiration. Being a chef working in the food industry is hard work. And folks, you know, we take that for granted sometimes when you're running out to catch a meal, watching him turn the most basic things into something that you would find in the best restaurant in town is absolutely amazing. And he has such a huge heart he and his wife both and it's just about practicing gratitude and kindness," said Porter
Porter says once the Thanksgiving festivities wrap up, Care Community Center will start work on Toys for Tots and Care for the Holidays on Monday.
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