Abigail Francisco, standing, chats with attendees of the Sixth annual Thanksgiving Dinner held at her dance studio in North Beach.
North Beach, MD – In the Calvert County town of North Beach no one goes hungry or feels lonely on Thanksgiving Day. For the sixth year in a row a Thanksgiving repast, free to anyone, was served in the bayside community. The Thanksgiving dinner was held at the Abigail Francisco School of Classical Ballet. It was hosted by The Spiritualist Society of North Beach.
Over 30 people of all ages enjoyed the two-and-a-half hour event in the studio. The gathering had their fill of roast turkey and the trimmings plus pumpkin pie. Francisco told TheBayNet.com that the event was started six years ago after a big storm hit the town. Several homes were left without electricity. A call from town hall to see if she could host Thanksgiving dinner for the affected residents created the event, which now has become annual.
“We are all equal,” said Francisco. “We want to make sure that there’s a place for everybody today.”
Francisco stated that the Rod ‘N’ Reel Restaurant in Chesapeake Beach “gives us a very reasonable price” for the prepared food. Several local businesses also contribute cash to make the event possible. About 10 volunteers, including Francisco’s husband, lend a hand to set up tables and chairs, serve food and pour drinks.
As if a savory Thanksgiving meal wasn’t enough, Francisco’s vivacious personality adds a substantial measure to the event. The celebrated dance instructor plays party games—charades and ‘name that tune—and gets the audience involved. Participants and winners earn prizes.
At the beginning of the dinner, the guests enjoyed a solo performance by a young violinist.
When asked why she was spending her Thanksgiving Day at the North Beach dinner, new resident Rita Lassiter replied, “because of Abigail. She’s sincere. She cares about everyone.”
Contact Marty Madden at marty.madden@thebaynet.com
