By Joel Phelps
The Arkadelphian

Thanks to the contributions of several local businesses, the Arkadelphia Community Thanksgiving is guaranteed to feed 300 people a warm Thanksgiving meal.

Tuesday’s event will be held at 5 p.m. in Henderson State University’s Garrison Center Banquet Hall. Sodexo will be catering the meal, which will include turkey, dressing, green bean casserole, candied yams and sweet potato pie.

With the goal of fostering community and fellowship, event coordinator Loren Wheatley said because of the “teamwork and support” shown for a first-time event, “we are able to ensure that 300 members of our community are able to have a welcoming and warm Thanksgiving dinner. We hope that in the future with more planning and preparation, we will be able to reach all of Clark County.”

Businesses that contributed to the Arkadelphia Community Thanksgiving were Celebrations, United Country Real Estate, Democratic Party of Clark County, J.W. Rogers Electric, First Presbyterian Church, A-Town Fitness, Dr. Dave and Lisa Jaskey, Arkansas Realty Services, Salt & Grain, May Construction, Sexton Firm, state Rep. Richard Womack, South Central Electric Cooperative, First National Title Co., Manworks, Tony Vo Construction, The Farmhouse, Able Properties and Construction, Spinks Stone Shop, Keith and Shelly Craft-Craft Properties, Arkadelphia Chamber of Commerce, Patterson Federal Credit Union, Jackson Title, Baptist Health Medical Center-Arkadelphia, Cheryl and Robert DeClerck, Scott Maxfield, Tanisha Burton, Arkansas Realty Properties, Cobb & Co. Salon, Nutrition Den and Brookshire’s.

“We are beyond grateful for the local businesses and people that have taken the initiative to give back to a community we all love,” Wheatley said. “I cannot express how much it means to me to see how much these sponsors care about Arkadelphia. With their support, we were able to achieve our goal, plus some. Individually we’re just a drop, but together we’re an ocean.”