Old Folks’ Home Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving in an old folks’ home is different from family or other gatherings.  While it may be a matter of some kind of a community feast, there’s at least one element that’s different, and very possibly there may be two or three.  Perhaps the most notable thing that’s different is that it’s likely it’s not the same people every year.

By it’s nature, the old folks’ home is full of old people.  They die off and new residents move in to take their places.  While certainly some people live in such places many years before they’re gone, new people are to be expected while old friends (and enemies) can be expected to be gone forever — maybe still alive but not there.

Depending on the place (and the management) all or important elements of the dinner may be catered.  If people want to contribute such may also be present, but in essence the meal is provided, sometimes by some do-good organization, possibly by management staff, possibly just plain ordered from a food catering company.

In some cases (depending on the type of residents) something like a Thanksgiving dinner is an outright community event created by something like a residents’ association for all residents.  It can also be just a group of residents who want to celebrate the holiday but who rather like the idea of not doing a massive job of cooking.

Regardless of how, Happy Thanksgiving to all.  🙂

ATI Newsletter: A Different Christmas Event

It seems things have changed with the Aviation Trail news.  It used to be that every so often (like quarterly) a four page report came.  Now one page comes once a week.  This week’s was read.  There’s a Christmas-y thing in it.  Just incidentally, the newsletter has quite a bit in it, but it’s just not the same.  One sheet is not like opening a magazine even if it’s only four pages and not slick.

One big news of the week is, of course, the wreath-laying ceremony come this Friday to commemorate the December 17, 1903, flight at Kittyhawk by the Wrights.  A fly-over is planned and refreshments are to be had (time:  10:10 – 10:35 a.m.).  It’s open to the public and hosted by Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park.  It’s called The First Flight Ceremony and is a regular event.

In addition, a dinner is planned for December 16, the annual First Flight Dinner, to honor the Wrights, and it’s also a commemoration for the 100th anniversary of McCook Field.  McCook Field was in operation from 1917 to 1927 and had that rather famous and clever big hangar sign saying, “This field is small – use it all.”  It was named for Civil War General Alexander McDowell McCook.

The dinner is the time of the annual Trailblazer Award, which this year goes to what eventually came into being (these days) from McCook Field.  The dinner features a “re-enactment” (if one wants to call it that) of the 1903 Wrights Christmas dinner, including turkey and stuffing, whipped potatoes, green beans, cranberry sauce, spice cake and other goodies as well as coffee and tea.

Christmas events can be many things.  🙂