Soldiers to prepare thousands of Thanksgiving meals for those in need

For the 25th year in a row, the Salvation Army is teaming up with Fort Carson to provide Thanksgiving dinner for thousands of people in need.

Soldiers in Fort Carson’s Culinary Academy will prepare 300 turkeys, hundreds of pounds of stuffing, mashed potatoes and other sides to feed around 3,000 people next Thursday at Salvation Army locations around southern Colorado.

The food is donated through the Care and Share Food Bank of Southern Colorado. The turkeys were delivered to the Culinary Academy Wednesday and will defrost before preparation begins Monday. The soldiers will cook around the clock starting Monday to make sure the meals are prepared by Thanksgiving.

“This is two armies teaming up together to make a difference in our community,” said Maj. Richard Larson with the Salvation Army. “A lot of times we have seniors come in, we have veterans come in and they don’t have anybody to have that meal with. I think it creates an atmosphere of they belong to something.”

The feasts begin at 11 a.m. Thanksgiving morning and generally runs until 2 p.m. or until they’re out of food, Larson said. The meals will be served at three locations: the Salvation Army location at 910 Yuma St. in Colorado Springs, the Fountain Valley Senior Center and at Manitou Springs City Hall.

To learn more about the Salvation Army and how to volunteer, click here.