By Yissel Ramirez
Families come together to make mountains of delicious appetizers and breads, topped off by a fat golden turkey. The only thing that comes between a starving students” stomach and a mass of good grub is distance.
Each year hundreds of students cannot make the long trip home to celebrate Thanksgiving with loved ones, but thanks to Bishops and their families who invite students into their homes, a warm meal, and all the extras, is not hard to find.
“We”re not sure how many students are planning on coming, but we can handle it,” said Deborah Glenn, BYU 184th ward”s bishop”s wife.
Preparing for the yearly ritual of gathering around the table takes anywhere from a few hours to a few days of intensive kitchen labor. Students who will not make it home for the weekend can take comfort in the homes of generous bishops and their talented wives.
“We have a big table and a big house for students who can”t go home,” Glenn said. “We only have one child at home. The rest of our family is far away, so we”d like to have a place where students can come and have Thanksgiving.”
Glenn”s son, Adam Glenn, is a BYU graduate currently studying in England. He will not make it home for Thanksgiving, but he and his wife and him will be joining 12 other BYU graduates to celebrate Thanksgiving in England.
“When I was a student, at times it was hard to go home,” Glenn said. “It”s nice to have a real home and a good meal. It”s not a ward activity; it”s for anyone that doesn”t have a place to go.”
Students not able to make it to their bishop”s house will join together for a night of feasting and fun in their own way.
BYU graduate Holly Haskins plans on getting together with close friends to celebrate Thanksgiving in her home.
“I live in Virginia; it”s too far to fly,” Haskin said. “It wouldn”t be worth it to go home. I would spend more time flying then I would with my family.”
Haskins and friends will get together to make a Thanksgiving meal. The meal started off as a few friends and evolved into an open invitation for anyone willing to show up and help out.
