Thanksgiving Day Meal

Linda Busetti Photo 

Volunteers from St. Francis College, Downtown Brooklyn, above, were among the young people who served a meal to area seniors in the cafeteria of Xaverian H.S., Bay Ridge, on Thanksgiving Day.

Volunteers began cooking and setting up at 8 a.m. Peter DeLorenzo, a graduate of Xaverian and father of a current student, and his wife helped out with cooking and serving. Youngsters from the Genesis Progam located at Xaverian were on hand to serve, as well as Liz Boutross, who works in the school’s finance department, her mom Diana, and friends Molly Russo and Jessica D’Addona.

By 11 a.m. the cafeteria was set for 400 with gallons of apple cider on the orange table cloths, individual bowls of fresh fruit and a Thanksgiving prayer at each place.

Carmine Tinerino and his wife, Mary, who live in Bay Ridge, arrived early. They have come for the traditional meal for the past four years. Carmine says they are originally from Long Island City, but moved to better housing in Brooklyn. The dinner makes all the difference to them. It isn’t easy getting old, he explains. Elaine Robbins from Brighton Beach sat down and quickly made some new friends.

One senior confided that she rode the bus an hour to get to the holiday dinner just so she would not have to spend the day alone.