Every November, families and friends across the United States gather around a dinner table to share hearty dishes and express their gratitude in celebration of Thanksgiving. For many people, the holiday is an opportunity to reunite with loved ones, recognize the blessings in their lives and, of course, eat stuffing and mashed potatoes until they can't move. But for some, Thanksgiving is one of the most difficult days of the year, and many Americans spend the holiday alone or without a decent meal.

Two years ago, Alicia Doss found herself in possession of more turkeys than she knew what to do with. Doss, who serves as Robert Fulton Fire Company's auxiliary president, works as a housecleaner, and multiple clients had gifted her a turkey for Thanksgiving. Doss and her mother, Marsha Roten, decided to use the surplus of meals to start what has grown into an annual tradition of hosting a free Thanksgiving meal for the community. "I do all of the hall rentals for the firehouse, so I thought, 'Why don't I open this up to the public?'" Doss said. "We're all unpaid volunteers, so the community supports us and helps us stay open. I wanted to give back, and it was laid on my heart to do."

Robert Fulton Fire Company, 2271 Robert Fulton Highway, Peach Bottom, will host the free community dinner from noon to 3 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 28. The meal will include traditional Thanksgiving dishes such as turkey, ham, potatoes, string beans and stuffing, as well as desserts and various refreshments. Meals will be available for dine-in only, and guests are invited to enjoy fellowship in the banquet hall while they savor the dinner.

Although the fire company was not officially involved with organizing the first meal, it allowed Doss and Roten to rent the banquet hall free of charge. Many of Doss' friends and firefighters at the station started helping the mother and daughter duo by donating food, money and their time to assist with the second community meal in 2023. The number of attendees nearly doubled by the second year, and local businesses owners started contacting Doss to support the event as it grew larger. Last year, Doss said that many guests stayed long after they finished eating to talk and enjoy each other's company, and some told her they wouldn't have had anywhere to spend the holiday without the event. Doss added that she expects the number of attendees to be much higher this year.

"Essentially, the firehouse is our home, and we want to invite the community in," said Doss. "We're a big family, and I love it." Doss added that she couldn't have organized the annual meal without the steadfast support of her family members and friends as the event continues to grow larger.

For more information or to learn how to support the meal, contact Doss at 717-875-8255 or search for "Robert Fulton Fire Company" on Facebook.