A heaping serving of thanks: Local charitable club serves hundreds on holiday
Published 1:41 pm Sunday, November 30, 2025
LONG BEACH — On a cold November morning, local volunteers served hundreds of hot meals to anyone hungry for fellowship and delicious food.
Roast turkey, mashed potatoes, dressing, green beans, candied yams, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie rounded out the menu during the annual free community meal on Thanksgiving day at the Long Beach Elks Lodge No. 1937.
A longtime tradition, organizers estimated that the free community dinner drew around 300 people, with another 150 meals being delivered to those who couldn’t physically attend.
Meal preparation started a day before, with more than a dozen individual roaster ovens used in preparing 18 Butterball turkeys, with each bird providing about 25 servings. To go along with the turkey, volunteers whipped up well over 500 pounds of mashed potatoes, green beans, dressing and candied yams.
Club members and local volunteers — about 25 total — prepared enough food to serve about 400 people, with approximately 300 typically attending in previous years.
“I’m counting on 400,” said club leader Loretta Breedlove. “Along with about 150 deliveries.”
Breedlove was grateful for the teams of more than 20 members and volunteers that made the event possible, particularly for those who wouldn’t otherwise have a Thanksgiving meal.
“We have 146 people that cannot come in, so we’re making sure they have Thanksgiving,” she said.
Club members and volunteers began cooking turkeys Wednesday, then finished preparing the sides Thursday morning. The free community meal was made possible by a generous grant.
“We applied for a grant from our Grand Lodge and we received $4,000 to put this on,” Breedlove said, adding that a care package containing a hat, neck gaiter, gloves, socks and some personal care items went out with each delivery.
This was the first year heading the event for Breedlove, following in the footsteps of community organizer Natalie Hanson, who has stepped back in recent years after decades of famed volunteerism.
“We had a gal that did it for years that was an absolute dynamo named Natalie Hanson. She was an absolute powerhouse with this. Last year, the two ladies that took over for Hanson moved out of state, so I’m spearheading it this year,” Breedlove said.
The club, known for their local philanthropy toward youth, veterans and disaster relief, is one of approximately 35 statewide chapters and 1,700 nationwide, with more than 850,000 members.
For those interested in joining the Elks, new members are encouraged to stop by the local chapter at 110 Pacific Ave. N in Long Beach.