NEWS

Fall Feast: More than a meal; it's a family

Kate Murphy
kmurphy@enquirer.com
Kally Turner, dressed as a pageant queen gives a hug to Zhanna Empire, 8, of Golf Manor during Give Back Cincinnati’s Fall Feast at Duke Energy Convention Center Thursday November 26,  2015. Turner's company, A Characteristic Attitude, dressed as super heroes to entertain children at the 10th annual event on Thanksgiving Day.

Lequitta Reynolds said she's had a rough couple of years, but the love of her kids is what keeps her going.

A 36-year-old school bus driver from Westwood, she has been single mom since her first child was born. Seven years ago, one of her twin sons died.

"Times are hard," she said Thursday at the Fall Feast at Duke Energy Center.

Her sons Quintez, 8, and Thomas, 7, and daughter Kemari, 5, are what brought her there.

"It's enjoyable because I get to spend time with them," Reynolds said. "I'm most thankful for my family and my kids ... that's all I have."

The Fall Feast started at 9 a.m., with thousands of people lined around the Duke Energy Convention Center – a Thanksgiving Day tradition in its 10th year.

For Reynolds, attending the Fall Feast means getting together for a nice meal and making sure her kids have what they need.

She said the free coats make a big difference.

"It's a blessing, especially for a single mother," Reynolds said. "Being able to get them something warm to have on their backs."

Reynolds and her kids were joined by friends they consider family. They aren't blood related but the two single moms are sisters. For them, Thanksgiving means being surrounded by love.

For most, it's more than just a hot meal. It's a bright spot in the month of November.

For Paula Bennett, 48, it was a winter coat that meant sleeping on the streets would be a little more bearable this year and books to keep her mind sharp.

For 8-year-old Averie of Madisonville, it was a vision exam that will give her the glasses she desperately needs. She said she was thankful to be alive and happy to have a giant flower-shaped balloon animal and painted cheeks, too.

For Derick Shores, who is homeless, it was shave and hair cut that was 4 months overdue. He said it felt "amazing."

For Valerie Julious, a 63-year-old widow who spent years alone on the streets, it was simply "home."

For Tyler Dingle, who volunteered at the event, it was a way to give back to a lot of people.

"It's creates a tradition for them," Dingle said. "You see a lot of the same faces and for a lot of folks this is an annual thing."

More than 1,000 volunteers served the needs of the poor and homeless in an effort to give them access to services they can't normally afford.

Local stylists and barbers turned a hallway into a hair salon. A banquet hall hosted a health clinic that offered children and adults, flu shots, vision checks, dental hygiene and heart health assessments. Families searched through racks of more than 5,000 coats to find the perfect fit and picked out matching hats and gloves. Kids were entertained by balloon artists, moon-bounce obstacle courses, face paint and a petting zoo. Guests filled their plates with gravy-smothered turkey, green beans, and pieces of pie and sat down to enjoy a warm meal.

The 2015 Fall Feast offered a community of people, who normally feel alone, the chance to be part of family this Thanksgiving Day.