Photo by Amber Phipps Volunteers from many different organizations scoop, stir, and prepare the food in over 1,000 meals for the 12th annual Christmas Feast in Marietta on Thursday.

Over a dozen organizations and groups within the county gathered to cook, prepare, distribute and dine with residents in need of food and companionship during the holiday season.

On the morning of Christmas, volunteers from various organizations began preparing fresh, hot food to be ready for distribution.

Franklin Street was lined with cars awaiting their turn to collect their meals as volunteers worked seamlessly like gears in a machine, ensuring every individual was accommodated.

Meals included turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, hot rolls, pie, fresh fruit and Christmas cards.

Photo provided by Davis Powers From left, Washington County Public Information Officer Davis Powers, Pat Carte, and Washington County Sheriff Mark Warden smiling for a photo on Christmas Day. Officials with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office delivered hot meals for the 12th annual Christmas Feast Thursday.

Angela Greathouse, coordinator for deliveries and volunteers, said there were 1,157 individuals served on Christmas Day. Of that number, there were about 647 who received delivered meals to their doors and roughly 302 were carry-out orders.

The numbers were provided mid-morning Thursday and subject to change.

“I’ve been involved for 11 years,” said Greathouse. “It’s been a really great experience.”

Greathouse is with The Journey Church of Marietta which is among the many other groups who came together to make the event possible.

“There are several organizations who work with us and provide monetary donations,” she said.

Photo provided by Davis Powers Washington County Sheriff Mark Warden speaks with S.A.L.T. client Carolyn Canfield while delivering meals for the 12th annual Christmas Feast on Thursday.

Angela and her husband Mark Greathouse have been working diligently to make the Christmas Feast operate as smoothly as possible for carry-out and deliveries.

While Greathouse managed the deliveries, there was a line of volunteers in the building working nonstop to package the meals while some volunteers cooked food in the kitchen, preparing the next round of food.

There was a dine-in option with about 120 people who opted to eat with others in the Knights of Columbus building around 1 p.m. Thursday. The dine-in was accompanied by live music from the Puls Family String Trio.

Bruce Haas, project manager of the annual Christmas Feast, said the organizations who helped consist of fraternal organizations, churches, banks, county officials, veteran services, and so many more.

“When we first started taking reservations on Black Friday, it was so slow,” said Haas. “We had no idea what was going on because by that time we usually have 400 people signed up.”

He said this year they had a slow start with only 90 individuals who reserved meals during Thanksgiving. He said their goal this year was 1,200, which they almost reached.

Haas said the event has grown significantly over the years and there was one year where they ran out of food halfway through distribution.

“We were standing around going ‘uh oh’ when a group of folks from a local church had had a Christmas party the night before and came in with great big pans of baked chicken,” he said.

Haas said they’ve also moved locations a few times over the years and moved to the Knights of Columbus building around 2020.

He said the pandemic prevented them from offering dine-in and carry-out but since then there’s been a lot of growth in the amount of volunteers and participants. He said groups of volunteers deliver anywhere in the county from Beverly to Little Hocking.

“We have some folks being transported here from living facilities,” he said. “There’s a group of homeless individuals that are going to get a ride over here and then back to where they’re staying.”

Haas said the event requires months of planning and preparation which usually begins around January. They take a break from planning during the summer but once September comes around the planning for the Christmas Feast is in full-swing.

“Yesterday we had about 350 lbs of potatoes delivered and around 45 people showed up to peel the potatoes … these are real mashed potatoes with whole milk and real butter.”

Haas said it’s amazing how it started out as a little community service project that grew into something bigger.

“It was just an idea to offer something to the community,” he said. “It really took off and has doubled every year.”

Arthur Miller, a friend of Haas’, said the event is really great and he’s gotten his whole family involved.

“It’s a whole operation,” said Miller.

The Marietta Police Department and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office participated this year in the Christmas Feast by volunteering and delivering meals to county residents.

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office delivered meals to six of their S.A.L.T. (Seniors and Law Enforcement Together) clients in the Newport and Barlow areas.

“These are people that maybe don’t get a Christmas like some of us do and some of them don’t really have any family,” said Public Information Officer Davis Powers, who also coordinates the S.A.L.T. program. “We’re going to go out, with the help of so many wonderful people here, and bring some cheers to them.”

Washington County Sheriff Mark Warden said the program focuses on assisting adult seniors with theft prevention, cybersecurity education and safety.

The program’s mission is to enhance the quality of life for the senior community.

“We love chatting with them and we learn a lot about their families and we’ve really created some wonderful relationships over the years,” said Warden. “It also fills that void of loneliness.”

Warden said the goal is to get to know county residents and help them in any way they can.

“It’s pretty cool stuff,” said Warden.

Amber Phipps can be reached at aphipps@newsandsentinel.com