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Turnout Not High, But Feelings Still Good, Following Knoxville Free Thanksgiving Dinner
Organizers of a first-time Thanksgiving event in the City of Knoxville could easily have been disheartened with the turnout for the event, but they say they still feel good about the effort they gave, and will try something like it again next year.

The City held a free community Thanksgiving dinner at the Knoxville Family Restaurant Thursday night, with the only caveat being that anyone attending had to bring food or cash for the Knoxville Community Food Pantry.

One of the organizers, First Ward Alderman Jim Eastwood, tells WGIL he isn't letting a thing like low turnout keep him from trying again.

"I see this going next year and years after that," Eastwood said. "We're going to tweak it; maybe a different time, I have no idea yet. But, we have quite a few other ideas that we'll be bringing up this year and next year. We'll see how it goes. We've got to play it by ear, as they say."

Eastwood says he approached restaurant owner Elisa "Louie" Samaan not long after he re-opened the restaurant seeing if he'd be willing to take part, and he agreed.

Samaan says he didn't have to think long about agreeing to host the dinner, where participants, and that it was needed in order to help the pantry, and just as a way to thank the community.

And Samaan tells WGIL speaking of that community, there was a bit of an ulterior motive, too. "Coming to this town, always, you like to meet everybody," Samaan said. "For me, I saw this as being a good, good idea for me to (get a) feel (of) the town, after we moved and my kids went to school over here, so we can be one part of the town, and I can meet a lot of people, and, of course, help somebody."

Samaan waas a little concerned by the somewhat low turnout, but he says the good feeling of helping people by donating time and his restaurant to the effort trumped that.

Eastwood says hosting a dinner such as this is an idea he's had for a long time, even before moving to Knoxville and becoming an alderman.

Despite the turnout, he says there was plenty of community and business support for the idea.


(Community members in Knoxville congregate Thursday at a free Thanksgiving meal at the Knoxville Family Restaurant.)


(Residents left donations for the Knoxville Food Pantry at the door.)


(Knoxville Family Restaurant owner Elias Samaan, left center, watches progress of the dinner Thursday. WGIL News Story and Photos by Will Stevenson.)
11 27 09 by Newsroom
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