Gratefull Thanksgiving luncheon takes place Monday in Dalton
DALTON, Ga (WDEF) – Hundreds of families and friends gathered at Burr Park in Dalton on Monday to have a Gratefull Thanksgiving.
“We are just excited to have our community all together at one table having a free Thanksgiving meal,” said Stephani Womack, Director of Education and Workforce Development.
Gratefull community lunch in Dalton
Gratefull started in Chattanooga in 2014.
The City of Dalton then started its own Gratefull tradition in 2019. That year, they say 1,400 people came together for the event.
This year’s meal took place on November 20, 2023.
Volunteers served up heaping helpings of food, love and community pride.
“It is important just to come together as a community and celebrate Thanksgiving and we just love the concept of bringing common strangers eat as family and just a way to build unity and celebrate our diversity and all the things that make Dalton special,” said Allyson Coker, Executive Director of Believe Greater Dalton.
Everyone who attended got a free meal.
Kids got free books, too.
They say the holiday season is a great time to build friendships that last all year long.
“We truly hope that our people leave this event with gratefulness from our community and to know that we are not like every other town. We are a place that they can call home, that they have family no matter if they know the person next to them or not. We hope that they just leave feeling just love and peace from our community,” Womack concluded.
Gratefull Dalton is a free Thanksgiving meal offered once a year, open to the entire community.
Meals are eaten on one very long table in the middle of downtown Dalton.
“Through Gratefull we are removing barriers and bringing people together from across social boundaries, simply to get to know each other and build understanding. In order to build a city that is an honest reflection of its residents, everyone should be invited to the table,” their website explains.
Gratefull is organized by Believe Greater Dalton.
