SAN ANTONIO – What began 38 years ago with restaurant owner Raul Jimenez wanting to give seniors Thanksgiving dinners has become an annual feast for anyone in need of compassion and companionship.
Feeding nearly 30,000 people at the Raul Jimenez Thanksgiving Dinner at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center is a community effort.
“It was great. I’m full. I had seconds,” said Jerry Nanez, who attended the feast this year.
The food is prepared and served by a legion of faithful volunteers, such as Johnny Sanchez, who has volunteered many times, except during his military service overseas.
“Off and on, I’ve been here since the beginning, about the second year it started with Raul Jimenez,” Sanchez said.
Sanchez has a cherished pin given to him by Jimenez.
“Having everybody together and being able to enjoy with an extended family that we see here every year. A lot of these people come here year after year,” Sanchez said.
“Especially for my kids, I've been doing this for five, maybe seven, years and we enjoy every bit of it,” said Odilia Rocha, a volunteer.
The volunteers said the meals they serve to those at the dinner, as well as the homebound, serve as lessons in giving.
“To know that I possibly have something more than somebody here and to give them joy on Thanksgiving is just heartwarming,” Rocha said.
And the San Antonio tradition will continue on for years to come.
“If I didn’t come here, it wouldn’t be Thanksgiving,” Sanchez said.