By David Karas | Correspondent

For members of the Knights of Columbus Council in St. Martha Parish, Point Pleasant, Thanksgiving mornings are devoted to service.

This year’s holiday was no exception, as the Knights came together in the parish hall to continue nearly a decade-long tradition of preparing Thanksgiving dinners for the homebound and less fortunate in the surrounding community.

“When you come together as a church and help people, you are doing the Lord’s work,” said Kevin Shea, Grant Knight of the council. He spoke about the importance of helping those in need, and said that the annual service project assists anyone in need, regardless of faith, economic status or mobility.

This year’s project turned out some 230 meals, either picked up or delivered to those in the surrounding community. Rick Mastronardi, a past Grand Knight of the council, said that the parish used to offer a sit-down dinner, but organizers have realized that they could help more by delivering meals.

The council also puts together meals for Christmas and Easter as well, he said, and those tend to involve higher numbers of dinners because fewer agencies and organizations provide similar services for those holidays.

Mastronardi, who has taken the lead in coordinating the service project, said that it is very much a team effort – with this year’s food preparation and delivery involving more than 40 volunteers from among the council as well as the parish community, and even some local residents who turned out to help.

Mastronardi said that such outreach allows members of the parish community, himself included, to see just how much of a need exists in the local community.

“You get to see how lucky you really are,” he said.

Janet Krautheim, a home health aid, stopped by the parish on Thanksgiving morning to pick up a prepared meal for someone she cares for, a man who she said suffers from a number of health problems and is currently under hospice care.

“Hospice is helpful, but they cannot do everything,” she said, adding that a warm holiday meal can do wonders for his well being. “His spirits are lifted with good food.”

The bagged meal for her patient also included a handmade greeting card created by one of the parish’s religious education students, something Mastronardi said is a special gesture that accompanies each of the meals.

Shea said that he originally joined the Knights of Columbus to help serve his parish community, and said that the delivery of meals to those who would not otherwise have them, presents a special opportunity.

“It is really one-on-one help,” he said. “It is a great experience to give someone a meal. It’s direct aid.”

Both Shea and Mastronardi said that some of the meal recipients are homebound, while others might live alone and would otherwise not cook a special meal to celebrate the holiday. Still, others don’t have the resources to afford such a luxury.

“People need this,” he said, noting that it is a great opportunity for “truly helping people.”