This year's Brainerd Community Thanksgiving Dinner looked a little different. Lines of cars reaching around the block waited to pick up their turkey dinners from community volunteers distributing Thanksgiving meals drive-thru style from a tent in front of the American Legion Post 255 Thursday, Nov. 26, in Brainerd.
The free community meal, which is usually a dine-in affair hosted at the Legion, was altered due to COVID-19 concerns. With this year's community dinner being delivery and pick-up only, 1,000 meals were delivered and 400 meals were picked at their Front Street location downtown.
Among the community volunteers helping with deliveries and pick-ups were the Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office, the Brainerd and Baxter police departments, the Brainerd Fire Department and State Patrol. Volunteers and financial contributions came from the Brainerd VFW, the Brainerd American Legion, the Brainerd Elks and the Brainerd Eagles.
1/8: Cars wait in line around the block as community volunteers distribute Thanksgiving meals from a tent in front of the American Legion Post 255 Thursday, Nov. 26, in Brainerd. Kelly Humphrey / Brainerd
2/8: Cars wait in line around the block as community volunteers distribute Thanksgiving meals from a tent in front of the American Legion Post 255 Thursday, Nov. 26, in Brainerd. Kelly Humphrey / Brainerd
3/8: Cars wait in line around the block as community volunteers distribute Thanksgiving meals from a tent in front of the American Legion Post 255 Thursday, Nov. 26, in Brainerd. Kelly Humphrey / Brainerd
4/8: Cars wait in line around the block as community volunteers distribute Thanksgiving meals from a tent in front of the American Legion Post 255 Thursday, Nov. 26, in Brainerd. Kelly Humphrey / Brainerd
5/8: Cars wait in line around the block as community volunteers distribute Thanksgiving meals from a tent in front of the American Legion Post 255 Thursday, Nov. 26, in Brainerd. Kelly Humphrey / Brainerd
6/8: Cars wait in line around the block as community volunteers distribute Thanksgiving meals from a tent in front of the American Legion Post 255 Thursday, Nov. 26, in Brainerd. Kelly Humphrey / Brainerd
7/8: Cars wait in line around the block as community volunteers distribute Thanksgiving meals from a tent in front of the American Legion Post 255 Thursday, Nov. 26, in Brainerd. Kelly Humphrey / Brainerd
8/8: Cars wait in line around the block as community volunteers distribute Thanksgiving meals from a tent in front of the American Legion Post 255 Thursday, Nov. 26, in Brainerd. Kelly Humphrey / Brainerd
Growing up in the Brainerd lakes area I realized that I never wanted to leave, so it is a true blessing that I was able to find a job at the Dispatch doing something I love. As a visual journalist, I work in the mediums of photography and videography to bring our readers everything from sports, hard news, weather and local events to slice of life documentation of our coverage area.
