ISHPEMING — Coretta Scott King once said “the greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.”

By those standards, some might say the western Marquette County communities of Negaunee and Ishpeming have proven themselves to be great by serving each other during Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Scott Soeltner, owner of Smarty’s Saloon in Negaunee, has held a community Thanksgiving dinner at his bar on Iron Street since he opened the business.

“Well, it first started, that a lot of our regulars don’t have any family. They don’t have anywhere to go, you know, for dinner,” Soeltner said. “So, what happened is, we were eat-in at the bar for the regulars.”

Since the tradition began, Soeltner went from cooking a couple of turkeys and about 10 pounds of potatoes in his first year to serving about 100 Thanksgiving dinners in 2019.

“Now enter the COVID,” Soeltner said, “and we just couldn’t do that.”

Soeltner’s longtime friend and Ishpeming Elks Lodge Exalted Ruler Dawn Lambert, who had helped with the dinner in the past, urged Soeltner to continue the tradition, especially considering other community meals in the area were canceled due to the pandemic.

“It was probably the first part of November when I contacted him and said: ‘What are we going to do about Thanksgiving?’ because it was so iffy at that time and the whole social distancing (guidelines,)” Lambert said. “I said: ‘We have to do something, no matter what.'”

And do something they did.

Lambert put out a call and Negaunee residents answered.

The community-funded Thanksgiving event served 482 meals, which were prepared and served by about 30 volunteers, including small-business owner and Negaunee native Lorrie Hayes.

“We had a lot of people who donated, we had some great sponsors,” Soeltner said. “It filled my heart with love for this community and by doing good stuff for other people. It takes my mind off of my own issues, my business being closed.

“Lorrie’s the same way. If you don’t stay busy, you will just dwell on your own misfortunes and misgivings. And this is a way for us all to put that on the back burner and get out there and help people. We are all in this together, no matter what.”

And the work is not over, Lambert said.

The 14th annual Ishpeming Elks Lodge Community Christmas Dinner is right around the corner.

In the past, she said the lodge has served about 700 meals, counting dine-in, takeout and delivery, and she expects the need to be greater this Christmas.

“The dinner is still going to happen,” Lambert said. “I am buying food to serve, to deliver, 1,000 meals. So, I have 460 pounds of turkeys ordered. I have 120 pounds of ham, 128 pies. That’s our goal. We will be ready for at least 1,000 meals.”

To do that, Lambert said she will need between 40 and 50 volunteers to complete the process, which has become very streamlined.

“We have everything from the kitchen prep, the serving line, and then, the people that have the food trays that walk in front of the serving line and get those all filled.” Lambert said. “(From) the sealer, to the packers, to the deliverers, it’s a very well-oiled assembly line.”

Lambert has a special phone number set up specifically for individuals who would like to either volunteer or those who would like to order a free Christmas dinner for delivery.

Those in need of a Christmas dinner delivery can call 906-451-4951 and leave a message stating how many dinners are requested and where they should be delivered, she said.

She noted callers won’t get a call back unless they ask for one.

The community dinners are important, Lambert said, because it reminds people what the holidays should be all about.

“This is what we need to do as a community — not look at the commercialization of the holiday, but the fellowship and care for mankind,” she said.

Those who would like to donate to the effort can write a check to the Community Christmas Dinner in care of Dawn Lambert and mail it to 2043 Woodland Drive, Ishpeming, MI 49849, or call 906-451-4951.

Lisa Bowers can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 242. Her email address is lbowers@miningjournal.net.