Community comes together for annual Thanksgiving meal in Crane, honors memory of Kathy Davidson
November 25, 2021
Rickman family enjoys time together with friends at the Thanksgiving meal. From left: Jessica Rickman, Cameron Rickman, Abbi Rickman (front), Zayden Rickman (back), Charlie Rickman (back), Landen Rickman (front)
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Volunteers come together to serve the meal to fellow community members. From left: Laura Hatfield (Crane FBC), Katie Ward (Stockmens Bank), Tara Mathewson Stockmens Bank)
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Kadee Brosseau DeCourley
Members of the community of Crane came together on Thursday, November 18 to enjoy a Thanksgiving meal together.
Organizer Shannon Cox said about 400 meals were served. The annual event has been taking place for about eight years. The event began when community leader Kathy Davidson had the idea to feed an entire town, free-of-charge.
“Kathy saw a need to not only feed the bodies of our community, but to feed their souls. She wanted everyone to feel loved and wanted this community to be one big family,” Cox said.
This year, however, the meal was served without Kathy. Though the loss of this beloved community member still leaves a gaping hole, Cox realized Kathy would have wanted the meal to go on.
“Kathy Davidson was one of the best friends I’ve ever had. After she passed in September, I wasn’t sure her community events would continue. She was the driving force behind them all! But because of her love for this community, her friends stepped up and stepped in. They wanted to keep her memory alive. Heidi and Cody Rasmussen decided to take on the Trunk-or-Treat and Teresa Reed wanted to continue the Easter Egg Hunt,” Cox said. “That left the Community Thanksgiving Dinner. I honestly didn’t want to do it. This was Kathy’s “baby,” not mine. Kathy was gone and Lee and Lisha Walston were moving and they had always been a HUGE part of everything we did. I couldn’t imagine doing it without them. Then, a few weeks after Kathy passed, a Facebook memory popped up. Kathy had tagged me in a post about the Community Thanksgiving Dinner being just a few weeks away. She had commented in that post that of all the events we did, the Community Thanksgiving Dinner was her favorite. I knew we had to try to do it for Kathy,” Cox said.
With each plate that was served, there was also a memory of Kathy and the heart she had for serving the community of Crane.
“[Kathy] wanted to make sure that everyone got a Thanksgiving meal. Many of us take for granted the fact that we have families to gather with for the holidays and that we can afford the added expense of a Thanksgiving meal,” Cox said. “Kathy wanted to see this community come together. She loved seeing “those that have” sitting and enjoying a meal with “those that have-not.” She was a firm believer that no one was better than anyone else. It didn’t matter to her what your last name was, where you went to church, how much money you made, what type of home you lived in, if you drank or smoked, if you were an addict or recovering addict, if you had been in trouble with the law, what kind of clothes you wore, or where you came from, Kathy Davidson LOVED ALL PEOPLE. She could always find the good!”
Cox said this event wouldn’t be possible without the countless volunteers and support of many community organizations including Reavisville Baptist Church, Crane First Baptist Church, Crane FBLA, Crane R-III School District, Crane High School Cheerleaders, Porter’s Supermarket, Crane Minstrel Alliance, and Crane School and Community Organization (CSCO).
The annual event was held at the Crane First Baptist Church (FBC). FBC Pastor Jim Cross said it is a “joy” for the church to be just one small part of the large community effort.
“It is core to who we are as a church to reach out to the community. Dovetailing the use of our facilities and our time with the other hands and hearts of this community just feels right,” Pastor Cross said.
Pastor Cross said one of the most unique and amazing things about this event is seeing so many people come together to make it happen.
“I realize I am the new kid on the block. This is just my third experience with the Crane Community Thanksgiving Meal event. My first time to experience this, caring of the community, I had only been in Crane for a few weeks. I was just an observer and I watched as this community provided these hundreds of meals. At the time, I did not realize how many hands and hearts it took to make this happen,” Pastor Jim Cross said. “This year, through the work of the Crane Ministerial Fellowship, I had the opportunity to see more of the interworking of the “Great Crane Feed.” It is amazing to see individuals from across our community touch all the different elements needed to make this event a reality.”
Pastor Cross said not only was the event a good time to have a tasty meal, but a great time to come together as a community during this season of Thanksgiving.
“Giving thanks is always an important element for a healthy soul. But these last two years have been harder than some. So, having the community come together and enjoy each other was a salve for the hurting heart,” Pastor Cross said.
The meal is held every year the Thursday before Thanksgiving.
Members of the community of Crane came together on Thursday, November 18 to enjoy a Thanksgiving meal together.
Organizer Shannon Cox said about 400 meals were served. The annual event has been taking place for about eight years. The event began when community leader Kathy Davidson had the idea to feed an entire town, free-of-charge.
“Kathy saw a need to not only feed the bodies of our community, but to feed their souls. She wanted everyone to feel loved and wanted this community to be one big family,” Cox said.
This year, however, the meal was served without Kathy. Though the loss of this beloved community member still leaves a gaping hole, Cox realized Kathy would have wanted the meal to go on.
“Kathy Davidson was one of the best friends I’ve ever had. After she passed in September, I wasn’t sure her community events would continue. She was the driving force behind them all! But because of her love for this community, her friends stepped up and stepped in. They wanted to keep her memory alive. Heidi and Cody Rasmussen decided to take on the Trunk-or-Treat and Teresa Reed wanted to continue the Easter Egg Hunt,” Cox said. “That left the Community Thanksgiving Dinner. I honestly didn’t want to do it. This was Kathy’s “baby,” not mine. Kathy was gone and Lee and Lisha Walston were moving and they had always been a HUGE part of everything we did. I couldn’t imagine doing it without them. Then, a few weeks after Kathy passed, a Facebook memory popped up. Kathy had tagged me in a post about the Community Thanksgiving Dinner being just a few weeks away. She had commented in that post that of all the events we did, the Community Thanksgiving Dinner was her favorite. I knew we had to try to do it for Kathy,” Cox said.
With each plate that was served, there was also a memory of Kathy and the heart she had for serving the community of Crane.
“[Kathy] wanted to make sure that everyone got a Thanksgiving meal. Many of us take for granted the fact that we have families to gather with for the holidays and that we can afford the added expense of a Thanksgiving meal,” Cox said. “Kathy wanted to see this community come together. She loved seeing “those that have” sitting and enjoying a meal with “those that have-not.” She was a firm believer that no one was better than anyone else. It didn’t matter to her what your last name was, where you went to church, how much money you made, what type of home you lived in, if you drank or smoked, if you were an addict or recovering addict, if you had been in trouble with the law, what kind of clothes you wore, or where you came from, Kathy Davidson LOVED ALL PEOPLE. She could always find the good!”
Cox said this event wouldn’t be possible without the countless volunteers and support of many community organizations including Reavisville Baptist Church, Crane First Baptist Church, Crane FBLA, Crane R-III School District, Crane High School Cheerleaders, Porter’s Supermarket, Crane Minstrel Alliance, and Crane School and Community Organization (CSCO).
The annual event was held at the Crane First Baptist Church (FBC). FBC Pastor Jim Cross said it is a “joy” for the church to be just one small part of the large community effort.
“It is core to who we are as a church to reach out to the community. Dovetailing the use of our facilities and our time with the other hands and hearts of this community just feels right,” Pastor Cross said.
Pastor Cross said one of the most unique and amazing things about this event is seeing so many people come together to make it happen.
“I realize I am the new kid on the block. This is just my third experience with the Crane Community Thanksgiving Meal event. My first time to experience this, caring of the community, I had only been in Crane for a few weeks. I was just an observer and I watched as this community provided these hundreds of meals. At the time, I did not realize how many hands and hearts it took to make this happen,” Pastor Jim Cross said. “This year, through the work of the Crane Ministerial Fellowship, I had the opportunity to see more of the interworking of the “Great Crane Feed.” It is amazing to see individuals from across our community touch all the different elements needed to make this event a reality.”
Pastor Cross said not only was the event a good time to have a tasty meal, but a great time to come together as a community during this season of Thanksgiving.
“Giving thanks is always an important element for a healthy soul. But these last two years have been harder than some. So, having the community come together and enjoy each other was a salve for the hurting heart,” Pastor Cross said.
The meal is held every year the Thursday before Thanksgiving.
