When I think of Thanksgiving, I picture a golden, juicy, turkey; fluffy, mashed potatoes; caramelized, sweet potatoes; and pumpkin pie loaded with whipped cream. And if I close my eyes, I can see my grandma in her apron making homemade stuffing. I can see the cranberry sauce my brother-in-law sprayed all over the kitchen when the blender lid blew off. I can see my family gathered around a table drinking, laughing, eating and just enjoying each other’s company, something we have done since I was a child.
As a child, I loved Thanksgiving because it was a day off school filled with tons of great food; but the older I get, the more I look forward to being with family and the others who come to eat with us when they have nowhere else to go.
Although food has become the focus of our Thanksgivings, the first year with the Pilgrims and Native Americans, it was about something much different. It was about two distinct groups of people who found their lives intertwined due to some tough circumstances and who had to share their bounty (food) in order to survive and better their lives. Thanksgiving is really about people sharing food with others to show they care.
Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be a holiday for people to care for others. At CORE so many peoples’ lives are interconnected all to share with others, specifically individuals with disabilities and their families. It starts with our Co-Founder and Executive Director, Lori Heiges, whose goal is to find long term, quality, employment for individuals with disabilities through CORE. She is supported by Amber Martinez and Gayle Topp who run the day-to-day operations. And, of course, our Employment Specialists who work directly with our participants to find help them develop job skills and find gainful employment. Next, and just as significant, are the corporations that support our goals by hiring our participants which in turn helps to improve the lives of these families. And, finally and most of all, are our participants who work hard to make their lives better and to become part of the community.
We at CORE are thankful for all the people who come together each day to better the lives of our participants and their families. We hope you all have a blessed Thanksgiving and plenty of whipped cream for your pumpkin pies.
