The founder of Elder-Beerman Stores had suffered a heart attack earlier that year and received mountains of cards from well-wishers. He returned their generosity by starting what became one of Dayton’s most enduring holiday traditions, lasting 40 years.
Planning the event
Soon after being discharged from the hospital and while recovering at home, Beerman announced the dinner as his way “to thank the good Lord for letting me get home for Thanksgiving.”
Beerman placed Jeanne Betty Weiner in charge of putting the event together. Weiner was then the store’s radio and television spokeswoman.
Beerman told her, “You are the only person crazy enough to do what I want.”
Weiner got little instruction beyond that the dinner had to be the same as the one Beerman enjoyed at his own house on Thanksgiving.
She found a caterer who would cook the food, arranged to have the event held at Wampler’s Ball-Arena (later renamed Hara Arena) and found musicians who donated their talent to perform big band music on the holiday.
“I wanted it to be a fun party,” she said.
More than 3,000 people attended that first year, in 1969. School buses picked up the guests in downtown Dayton and drove them to the event, where they were welcomed by volunteers.
“They were greeted just like they were coming into someone’s home,” Weiner said in a 2015 interview.
More than 1,300 pounds of turkey, 500 pies, 90 gallons of gravy and 90 steam pans of dressing were served that first year. Clowns entertained the children and attendees danced to the Hal Harris band.
After Weiner stepped down, Kathryn Panstingel became the event coordinator for more than 25 years. She usually started preparing for the event in August.
It took a staff of 350 volunteers to pull the events off. Volunteers decorated, greeted guests, served the meal and cleaned up.
Tradition continued
Beerman died the next year, in 1970, but his family and the Beerman Foundation kept the tradition going.
For many years, the catered meal was held at Wampler’s Ballarena in the Hara Arena complex. In 1988, organizers moved it to the convention center downtown to reach more people in need.
Credit: Staff photo by Lisa Powell
Credit: Staff photo by Lisa Powell
Every year there was a standing invitation: Anyone was welcome to the free dinner.
All good things must end
The Beerman Annual Thanksgiving Day Dinner came to an end after the 2008 event.
“It has been heartwarming to provide a traditional Thanksgiving Day dinner to so many wonderful people and have a hand in the development of community pride and spirit and a strong case could certainly be made to continue the event,” William S. Weprin, president of the The Beerman Foundation, said in a written statement.
“However, after considerable thought and discussion, the foundation directors felt a need to focus their efforts on programs covering broader areas and those beneficial on a year round basis.”
Credit: Staff photo by Lisa Powell
Credit: Staff photo by Lisa Powell
The annual Thanksgiving dinner was believed to be the largest of its kind in the nation having served an average of 4,000 turkey dinners per year. In all, the tradition severed more than 200,000 turkey dinners during its tenure.
The lowest attendance ever at the annual event was estimated at 3,200 people with an all-time record of about 8,500, according to foundation officials.
Feast of Giving and Thanksgiving Turkey Takeaway
After the Beerman Thanksgiving dinners ended, new organizers and corporate sponsors stepped up to continue the community dinners under a new name, The Feast of Giving.
The events not only provided a meal, but also free hats and gloves to those in need.
by 2019, the event grew to attract 10,000 people to dinners held at the Dayton Convention Center.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Feast of Giving, in its traditional form, was canceled after the 2019 event.
Credit:
Credit:
Since then, Miami Valley Meals has hosted a Turkey Takeaway event for those experiencing food insecurity across the Miami Valley. The event has been a partnership with The Feast of Giving.
This year’s Thanksgiving Turkey Takeaway event will happen on Wednesday.
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