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Hundreds Fed Thanksgiving Meal At South Shore's Big Give

Larry Johnson eats the "first decent meal" he's had in three weeks at the Ruskin Big Give.

Tribune photo by LOIS KINDLE

By LOIS KINDLE | The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 27, 2008

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Larry Johnson sat alone at a table wolfing down a plate of turkey and all the usual Thanksgiving fare.

"This is the first decent meal I've had in three weeks," the carnival hand said today. Staying at winter quarters in Ruskin, he hasn't had work for weeks. "Times are hard. This food is very good, and I really appreciate it."

Johnson had heard through others about South Shore's Big Give, a volunteer-driven effort in the community to feed the homeless and hungry. So he headed to Beanie's Family Sports Grill in Ruskin for the event, where he found a huge tent pitched and filled with people serving hot foods and desserts.

"This kind of thing keeps me from committing suicide," said John Bohme, 88, who lives alone in Sun City Center, 88. "After you turn 80, the world gets harder and harder."

By 2:45 p.m. today, approximately 160 people had turned out to partake in the free meal prepared by Don "Beanie" Tichy, his staff and Danny Martinez of Fat D's Cookin'. Another 150 had been served at their places of residence by volunteers who took food to shut-ins.

Although the original plan was to feed up to 500 people in need, Tichy said no food would go to waste.

"We've cooked 38 turkeys and all the fixings since Saturday," he said. "We'll take anything left over to the migrant camps in the area."

The Big Give was the idea of Beth Howard, co-owner and manager of the South Shore Gallery. She and a committee of six others — Tony Zipperer, Ron Simpson, Tichy and his wife, Debbie, Melanie Morrison and Dee Fridella — planned the event and coordinated it with more than 150 community volunteers.

"It's already a great success," said John Smith, honorary mayor of Ruskin, who was among the volunteers. "And this is the first year. I'm impressed with the event on all levels, especially with the amount of volunteerism I've seen from the community. I think we'll do even better next year."