LYNN — The Boys & Girls Club of Lynn collaborated with St. George Greek Orthodox Church to serve more than 550 free Thanksgiving meals on Thursday.
Volunteers and BGCL board members gathered at the church community center to hand out warm turkey, mac and cheese, potatoes, bread, and more to local youth and their family members.
BGCL Executive Director Brian Theirrien gave thanks to everyone who helped make the occasion possible.
“It’s a time where we’re all able to come together and be thankful for the year that we had. A lot of families and children rely on the Boys and Girls Club for education and recreation, and to be able to have a night like this where everyone is under the same roof is truly something special,” Theirrien said.
BGCL Associate Director Grace Duran spoke about the importance of providing food to hundreds of families in light of the current political climate.
“We live in very unstable times, and there’s a lot of food insecurity in the community. We are very honored to be able to serve 600 families a full Thanksgiving meal,” Duran said.
Erin Muschette, vice president of BGCL Board of Directors and former BGCL member, gave insight on what the Thanksgiving dinner means to local youth.
“The kids get to see the community come together to support them and invest in them. It shows them that they’re cared about and that we want to see them succeed,” Muschette said.
Meanwhile, BGCL 2025 Youth of the Year Divine Egbuta shared how the event uplifts her peers.
“It brings a feeling of togetherness. We get to bring all the families together, and it’s just wonderful. It gives our community an opportunity to give thanks no matter what’s going on,” Egbuta said.
While BGCL has been hosting the Thanksgiving event since 2018, this year, they held the event at the church because their facility is currently undergoing renovations. Father Alex Orphanos said St. George Church was honored to team up BGCL to give back to the community.
“This event brings joy, love, and the season of Thanksgiving to the community. We were happy the Boys and Girls Club asked us to host them in our community center, and we are happy to offer this opportunity to the Boys and Girls Club families in Lynn,” Father Orphanos said.
Mayor Jared Nicholson also made an appearance at the church on Thursday to support the occasion.
“We are so proud of the great work you are doing at the club, in school and in the community. Happy Thanksgiving!” Nicholson said to the children in attendance.
