By Joel Langton
The 830 Times
It’s almost time for Del Rioans to enjoy a free turkey dinner with all the trimmings from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 22 when the H-E-B Feast of Sharing rolls into town at the Del Rio Civic Center, 1915 Veterans Blvd.
The event is free and open to the public, offering a holiday-style meal served by volunteers from across the community. For more than 30 years, H-E-B’s Feast of Sharing has been part of its statewide Hunger Relief Program, serving hundreds of thousands of meals to Texans each season.
“It’s really an amazing event,” said Luis Leija, H-E-B’s Del Rio Top Store Leader. “It’s a day H-E-B goes all out to serve our local community.”
Guests can expect a full plate of turkey, brisket, mashed potatoes, green beans, stuffing, bread rolls and a slice of pie.
The event draws between 3,000 and 5,000 people to the Del Rio Civic Center, where it has been held for 36 years.
In addition to feeding thousands, the Feast of Sharing provides one of the community’s largest volunteer opportunities of the year.
“H-E-B works hard to put this event on,” Leija said. “However, we could never do it without our volunteers who really make the whole event work.”
Volunteers come from throughout the area, including Val Verde Regional Medical Center, the Val Verde County Sheriff’s Office, Laughlin Air Force Base, numerous civic organizations, Del Rio Police Department cadets and more than 100 students from Del Rio High School.
Seating is first-come, first-served, and organizers encourage attendees to arrive early.
“At the heart of who we are as a company is our commitment to giving back and supporting the communities we serve,” said Winell Herron, H-E-B Group Vice President of Public Affairs, Diversity and Environmental Affairs.
One side of the civic center will be feeding hundreds of people at a time, while the other will host live entertainment throughout the afternoon. The Civic Center’s north side will host
H-E-B officials encourage anyone interested in volunteering to check with one of the Del Rio H-E-B store or visit newsroom.heb.com for details and updates.
