The Office of Residential Life and Housing will host free Thanksgivings meals in Commons Residence Hall room 123 and the second floor lounge of Rolling Hills Graduate Apartments Building A, from 1 to 3 p.m on Thanksgiving Day.
Though the event is geared toward residential students who won’t be home for Thanksgiving, commuter students are also welcome to attend.
Daren Capirchio, associate director of the Office of Residential Life and Housing said, “A lot of our residents may be from out of state and they may not have family or friends that live close to campus. With the UC being closed and the fact that a lot of folks will be missing home and missing a traditional thanksgiving dinner, we decided several years ago that we would recreate that in the living halls.”
Both meals will be buffets, allowing students to come in any time they would like. Students can either eat at the provided table or take the food to-go. They can also watch the Detroit Lions vs. Green Bay Packers football game, holiday-themed movies or anything else of their choosing together.
The Thanksgiving meal will include a garden salad, traditional roast turkey, bread stuffing, turkey gravy, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green beans, cheese tortellini, cranberry sauce, rolls and cheesecake. The meal is catered by Chartwells, the contract food service that manages Shark Dining.
Capirchio said that the price paid by the Office of Residential Life and Housing for the event is unimportant.
“Whatever this is going to cost is what this is going to cost because this is an important event and tradition that we have in the halls,” said Capirchio. “It’s for our students and that’s why we’re here.”
Capirchio describes the event as casual, though he aims to include tradition and a sense of community.
“Our goals are that the food gets eaten or taken home and that the students enjoy it and appreciate the opportunity they have to come together,” Capirchio said. “We don’t want to formalize it. The goals are basic because they serve a very basic need: for them to be fed and feel like they’re cared for”.
For more information, contact the Office of Residential Life and Housing at 954-262-7052. An RSVP is not required.
