Posted by Dora Dye on Nov 29, 2020
Celebrating Thanksgiving with the clients of The Arc San Francisco has been one of our Club’s favorite traditions for the past 13 years. The pandemic caused the cancellation of many events throughout the world in 2020, but it did not cancel our Thanksgiving with The Arc San Francisco.
 
Past Club President and Past District Governor Eric Schmautz along with Jonathan Scopazzi from the Rotary Club of San Rafael and some behind the scene work by Greg Gutting came up with a way to deliver not one, but two Thanksgiving meals to Arc clients for a total of 360 meals. The menu included: roasted chicken, vegetables, gravy, yams, rolls with butter, pumpkin pie, and cranberry sauce.
 
On the afternoon of November 23, 2020, David and Dora Dye along with Eric, Jonathan, Lisa Scopazzi, Marti Sullivan, and Jacy Cohen cut pies, wrapped rolls, ladled cranberry sauce, and filled 180 boxes with enough pumpkin pie, cranberry sauce, and rolls with butter for two meals. Each box was then labeled.
 
Eric Schmautz supervising the assembly of the meals
At the same time, Robin Azevedo was busy preparing another 180 boxes filled with chicken, gravy, vegetables, and yams. Eventually, everyone joined to help Robin. Colleen McCarthy along with her daughter, Isabel, helped to bag the meals and place them in the huge refrigerator overnight.
 
The next morning, Bob Hermann and Dan Joraanstad along with Marti, Sarah Sullivan, and Mark Williams planned out the delivery routes and put the meals into the cars of Sunny Singh and Tina Bangar, Christopher Davies, Eric, and employees of The Arc, who delivered them all in time for the 1 p.m. Zoom call. The clients of The Arc each received two meals (one to enjoy during the Zoom call and the other meal was for another day). Rotarians Tim Hornbecker, Laine Hendricks, Dora, and others joined the Zoom call to celebrate Thanksgiving with The Arc San Francisco. 
 
All in all, we provided two festive meals for over 150 people experiencing food insecurity and isolation during the holiday. Past President Tim Hornbecker sent the following letter to share a personal story of Thanksgiving and express his gratitude:
 
Dear SF Rotarians,
 
I just want to thank you on behalf of my family and my former employer, The Arc of San Francisco. The Thanksgiving Holiday Meal by SF Rotarians since 2007 has had an incredible impact, but none greater than this crazy COVID year!
 
The preparation and delivery of 360 meals by head chef Eric Schmautz and all of you meant more than you can imagine. My stepson, Joseph, with severe developmental disabilities and a client of The Arc, has not been able to leave his apartment since March. He is unable to wear a mask, so he gets his exercise by going up and down his building stairs and outside on the roof patio. He is not only isolated, but so are his dedicated 24/7 Arc staff. I spoke with Jordan, his direct support staff who lives with him. He could not believe his eyes, when Thanksgiving meals were delivered for him and Joseph, enough to last two days! Chicken, gravy, sweet potatoes, vegetables, cranberry sauce, dinner rolls and pumpkin pie! This year of self-quarantining has meant isolation and food insecurity for so many. Thank you for making their Holiday so happy and delicious!
 
Also, special gratitude for all the PPE including masks and facial shields that our SF Rotary Foundation and Club have provided to The Arc essential workers.
 
My wife Pat and I wish you a healthy and happy holiday season!
 
Very gratefully yours,
 
Tim Hornbecker, Past President of the SF Rotary Club and Foundation
 
Thanks to the San Francisco Rotary Foundation for underwriting the cost of these and other service projects at The Arc of San Francisco.