Tulsa World: Holiday tradition continues

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Holiday tradition continues
A Tulsa restaurant will serve free Thanksgiving Day meals, as it has done for 23 years. It's not alone.

Cynthia Mayes prays over the meal she received free at Tally's Diner on a past Thanksgiving Day. Tulsa World file

By MIKE AVERILL World Staff Writer
Published: 11/22/2009 2:24 AM
Last Modified: 11/22/2009 3:51 AM

Tally's Good Food Cafe is open for business every day — except the fourth Thursday in November.

For the last 23 years, the restaurant's owner, Tally Alame, has closed the cash register and opened the doors on Thanksgiving Day.

Alame opened Tally's on Nov. 13, 1987, and served his first free holiday dinner that same month.

"It's something that I said: 'If I ever get in the restaurant business, I'm going to open the doors and let everyone in and have a free meal on Thanksgiving,' " he said.

Tally's will be open from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Thursday.

Free meals were served to almost 800 people last year, and Alame expects more this year.

"We're expecting up to 1,000 people," he said. "This year is a little different. A lot of people are having a rough time."

Alame will prepare 40 22-pound turkeys, and any leftovers will be donated to local churches.

"The people who've lost their jobs and don't have any money are welcome to come in," he said. "There are TU students without family in town and single people with no family in town. Everyone is welcome."

The Rev. Steve Whitaker, the executive director of John 3:16 Mission, said it's hard to predict how many meals the mission will serve this year. But he does know the number will be bigger, because more people are invited.

"This year, anyone who wants to come is welcome," he said. "During the week, we'll serve thousands of meals. That doesn't count food baskets."

John 3:16 Mission plans to give 5,000 food baskets to at-risk families.

"Our goal is to make sure nobody goes without food this time of year," Whitaker said.

"The best way we can feed them is with a traditional Thanksgiving meal. It's economical for the number of meals it provides, and it brings families together, which we feel is important."

The mission has seen a 51 percent increase in requests for food baskets and a 12 percent increase in the number of meals served and shelter provided.

"The No. 1 cause for what's going on is the economy, people who have lost jobs," Whitaker said.

The 5,000 baskets will provide about 21,000 meals, but some staff members are feeling anxiety over whether the mission can collect enough frozen turkeys.

The mission will accept donated frozen turkeys Monday at its shelter, 506 N. Cheyenne Ave., and at its Family and Youth Center, 2027 N. Cincinnati Ave. Also, the Under the Sun garden centers — at 91st Street and Sheridan Road and at 51st Street and Harvard Avenue — will accept turkeys for the mission through Thanksgiving Day.

"Sometimes people wonder why they should give. The compelling story is there are more people here telling us they've never had to ask for help before and that this is a pretty difficult time. There are people who are part of the community. These are fellow Tulsans we've gone to school with and gone to church with," Whitaker said.

"Tulsans have been very generous and continue to be generous in these tough times. Please help us make sure nobody goes hungry during this Thanksgiving season."

Free Thanksgiving meals

Grace Free Will Baptist Church, 12323 S. 145th E. Ave., 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday

Tally’s Cafe, 1102 S. Yale Ave., 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Thursday

Western Country Diner, 514 N. Elm Place, Broken Arrow, 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday

St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 9100 E. 21st St., 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday — call 627-2713 to RSVP

John 3:16 Mission, 506 N. Cheyenne Ave., 6:30 to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday

John 3:16 Mission’s Family and Youth Center, 2027 N. Cincinnati Ave., will have Thanksgiving baskets with a frozen turkey and all the trimmings, 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. monday though Wednesday. A special distribution for the working poor is 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday. A current pay stub is required.

Salvation Army Center of Hope, 102 N. Denver Ave., 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday Batman’s Good Food, 1444 N. Mingo road, 11 a.m. until food is gone, Thursday

Duffy’s Restaurant, 706 S. Elm Place, Broken Arrow, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday Tulsa County Social Services Emergency Shelter, 2401 Charles Page Blvd., 5:30 p.m. Thursday

Outside metro Tulsa

Agape Mission, 309 W. Bucy Ave., Bartlesville, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday

Salvation Army-Bartlesville, 101 N. Bucy Ave., Bartlesville, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday Salvation Army-Muskogee, 615 S. main St., Muskogee, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday

Mike Averill 581-8489
mike.averill@tulsaworld.com By MIKE AVERILL World Staff Writer

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	Report Comment Elusive, Owasso (11/22/2009 2:58:44 AM) Bless all of those feeding the needy.
	Report Comment DomoArrigato, Outside of Tulsa (11/22/2009 7:59:34 AM) Thank you to Tally's feeding the hungry on Thanksgiving for the last 23 years...and for feeding me on Wednesday's for the last 15 years or so. Great Food, great waitresses.
	Report Comment mayor_maynot, Tulsa (11/22/2009 9:00:35 AM) I used to go there every day. Even though born on foreign soil Tally is a fine US Citizen. He embraces his citizenship and reflects it better than most who were born here. Another fine place is Corner Cafe @ 11th and Peoria. You will not leave hungry from either location on Thanksgiving Day.
	Report Comment FUTURE WORLD, Tulsa (11/22/2009 9:28:40 PM) Tally's is a great place to go anytime of year.

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