Ohio State students, faculty and staff who are not able to go home for Thanksgiving are invited to the the 17th annual Thanksgiving Day dinner for fellowship and a free holiday meal at the Recreation and Physical Activity Center.

The dinner will be Thursday from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Davis Special Events Gym in the RPAC. Free parking will be available at Neil Avenue and Tuttle parking garages.

Although the event is free, those who attend must obtain a ticket at the Frank W. Hale, Jr. Black Cultural Center from 9 a.m. to 6p.m. today.

The dinner is recognized as the largest Thanksgiving meal at any college or university, according the Thanksgiving Dinner press release. However, the annual dinner has humble origins, starting 17 years ago as a potluck that drew 25 students.

“It actually started with the Hale Center,” said Larry Willamson, director of the Office of Minority Affairs. “It has grown each year, last year we fed about 1,200 and we gave away about 200 meals to people on campus.”

This year, 1,400 meals will be served.

Lantern File PhotoStudents, faculty and staff who cannot make it home for Thanksgiving can eat a free traditional meal Thursday at the Recreation and Physical Activity Center.
“We decide how much food to prepare based on past experiences,” Willamson said. “This year we will have more than 70 turkeys … stuffing and corn, string beans and a desert, basically a traditional Thanksgiving meal.”

The event relies on a cooperative effort by the OSU community.

“We have approximately 130 faculty, staff and student volunteers,” said Kevin Harty, special events coordinator with the Office of Minority Affairs. “That’s a tremendous initiative and we can all be proud.”

The Thanksgiving dinner allows diverse members of the OSU community to come together under one roof.

“People that come from other countries that have no concept to understand why we have turkey, so we try to explain,” said Vincent L. Briley, graduate student in educational policy and leadership, and event volunteer. “International students are given the opportunity to see and be a part of an American tradition and holiday, and through their own cultural scope they are able to learn about an important part of the American culture.”

The dinner is not a celebration of the traditional Thanksgiving holiday, but rather a celebration of diversity, Willamson said.

Tatum Shroyer can be reached at [email protected].