Riverside Mission to host Thanksgiving meal on Thursday

As we head into the Thanksgiving long weekend, Moose Jaw’s Riverside Mission is doing what they can to help those less fortunate.  

The mission will be hosting its annual Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday (October 6) afternoon at 3:00 p.m., and anyone is welcome to attend.  

“We really wanted to provide something for those in the community that resembled a family time and we want people to be able to reconnect with other people and share in the bounty in a good meal and not be alone in this holiday time,” says Joseph Miller, Executive Director of Souls Harbour Rescue Mission (SHRM) in Regina who oversees Riverside Mission. 

Millers says that the meal will be a traditional Thanksgiving feast with turkey, stuffing, potatoes, vegetables, and even pumpkin pie with whipped cream. Those wanting to attend can begin to line up just before 3:00 p.m., at their 40 Manitoba Street East location.  

The mission is expecting a heavy flow of people to come through their doors on Thursday afternoon for the big meal.  

“Moose Jaw is usually in that 75-150 range, but in the last couple of years, we’ve been around the 100-125 mark. It’s not unlikely to expect a good turnout and see 125 people there. We’re preparing for 125 people.” 

The community has also stepped up and helped with donations to go towards the Thanksgiving meal as well. On Wednesday, Michaela Turner from the Moose Jaw Co-op and John Iatridis, the owner of The Mad Greek made a generous cash and food donation to the Riverside Mission.  

A total of five turkeys, eight pumpkin pies, plenty of mixed vegetables, and potatoes were donated to the mission.  

“We’re always grateful for donations and we really rely on them to put these types of meals together. When individuals and businesses in the community come to rally around what we need, they really become an extension of who we are. Collectively we’re all helping others and that’s the main thing is we want to make sure that those in need are blessed and they feel grateful and not forgotten at this time of the year.” 

Speaking of being grateful, Miller says that those that attend their three-holiday meals a year are always appreciative of a service like this in the community.  

“People express their gratitude on a regular basis. For some of our cliental this is family for them in a sense and for them to be able to get together and enjoy a good meal.” 

Miller concluded by saying that he is grateful that the Riverside Mission was able to host this event, as they have been closed for the last 10 days to deal with a pest infestation.