MARINE COPRS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- Members of the Youth and Teen Center and their parents were invited to participate in a special Thanksgiving meal at the Youth and Teen Center here Nov. 24.
Thanksgiving is a time to pause, reflect and give thanks for the many blessings we enjoy as Americans.
“To me, Thanksgiving is mostly about having fun and hanging out with family and friends,” said Tylor White, 11-year-old Youth and Teen Center member.
The annual Thanksgiving meal provided approximately 30 youth and their families with a meal ranging from traditional turkey and ham to lasagna and spiced rice.
All of the entrees were provided by the Youth and Teen Center employees and volunteers.
“We’re just having a quick little Thanksgiving snack for the kids,” said Tami Moreno, a program assistant for the Youth and Teen Center. “It’s a whole buffet of different foods, but since we have so many kids, it’s just a little bit for everybody to kind of get a taste.”
Attendees socialized with their peers while enjoying the array of food.
The meal was prepared to create a family-type atmosphere for the youth, added Moreno.
“This is just to let them know how much we care about them,” said Moreno. “It’s our way of telling them how much they mean to us, that they’re like a family to us.”
The youth took this time to spend time with their friends and family, enjoy a good meal and share what they were thankful for this year.
“I’m thankful for my family and friends,” said Iylonda Hunter, 11-year-old Youth and Teen Center member. “My family puts up a home and shelter for me and they feed me, and my friends support me when I need them the most.”
The event also gave some of the Japanese-American children an experience they have never had before.
“A lot of them have never had a Thanksgiving meal before, so this is really cool because it’s brand new for them,” said Moreno.
The Youth and Teen Center will also be holding a Christmas celebration holiday meal, open to all youth ages 10-18, 1 – 4 p.m. Dec. 23.