Give Back To Your Community – Volunteer at the La Crosse Community Thanksgiving Dinner
Volunteers make up the driving force behind the La Crosse Community Thanksgiving Dinner – we can’t do it without you. Your donated time allows all members of the Greater La Crosse Community to gather together and share a special celebratory meal.
There are several areas to help out with at the event, including: Carry-Outs, Clean Up & Store Supplies, Crafts & Activities, Kitchen, Serving Area, Dining Room, Supply Pick-Up, Transportation, Volunteer Check-In, and Host. Please fill out the Volunteer Sign Up form to claim your desired position.
2023 Volunteer Areas - Click Area Name Below to Learn More
Job Description
Assemble cold and hot “to-go” containers for home delivered meals.
Time Slots
Thursday, November 23, 2023
- 8am – 10am: 14 slots
- Prepare coleslaw cups
- Prepare cranberries cups
- Prepare carrots and celery
- Slice and portion pumpkin pies
- Assemble cold “to-go” containers for home delivered meals
- Anything the Committee Chair may need done
- 10am – Noon: 20 slots
- Prepare coleslaw cups
- Prepare cranberries cups
- Prepare carrots and celery
- Slice and portion pumpkin pies
- Assemble cold “to-go” containers for home delivered meals
- Assemble hot “to-go” containers for home delivered meals
- 1-2 persons to man the “to-go” window
- 2-4 persons to bag up the “to-go” containers, keeping the hot and cold food containers in separate bags
- Anything else the Committee Chair may need done
- Noon – 2pm: 20 slots
- Prepare coleslaw cups
- Prepare cranberries cups
- Prepare carrots and celery
- Slice and portion pumpkin pies
- Assemble cold “to-go” containers for home delivered meals
- Assemble hot “to-go” containers for home delivered meals
- 1-2 persons to man the “to-go” window
- 2-4 persons to bag up the “to-go” containers, keeping the hot and cold food containers in separate bags
- Anything else the Committee Chair may need done
Where To Go
Report to the La Crosse Center.
- 8am Shift: Report to the Serving area located in the backside of the La Crosse Center. Look for the Committee Chair.
- 10am Shift: Report to the La Crosse Center, check in at the Volunteer Check In, then find the Carryout area and check in with the Committee Chair.
- Noon Shift: Report to the La Crosse Center, check in at the Volunteer Check In, then find the Carryout area and check in with the Committee Chair.
When To Arrive
Arrive 10 minutes early to check-in and receive additional instructions.
Special Considerations
Children under the age of 16 are welcomed with the assistance of an adult. Knives are used in the preparation of the pumpkin pies. Those volunteers putting the hot food “to-go” containers together will be working with hot food and electrical equipment.
- 8am – 10am: 14 slots
Job Description
Clean up Serving Area and store supplies.
Time Slots
Thursday, November 23, 2023
- 3:30pm – 5pm: 6 slots
Where To Go
Volunteers report to the Serving Area, which is next to the Kitchen Area. Volunteers with vehicles will be hauling supplies back to Central States Warehouse.
When To Arrive
Arrive 10 minutes early to check-in and receive additional instructions.
Special Considerations
Insured vehicle and drivers license required.
Job Description
Supervise crafts and activities for children.
Time Slots
Thursday, November 23, 2023
- 10am – Noon: 4 slots
- 11:45am – 2pm: 4 slots
- 1:45pm – 3:30pm: 4 slots
Where To Go
Report to the La Crosse Center, check in at the Volunteer Check In, then find the Crafts and Activities area and check in with the Committee Chair.
When To Arrive
Arrive 10 minutes early to check-in and receive additional instructions.
Special Considerations
None
Job Description
Greet guests, serve beverages and food, bus and reset tables, socialize with guests.
Time Slots
Thursday, November 23, 2023
- 10:45am – Noon: 18 slots
- 11:45am – 1:45pm: 18 slots
- 1:30pm – 3:30pm: 12 slots
Where To Go
Report to the La Crosse Center, check-in at Volunteer Check-In, and locate the Host/Hostess.
When To Arrive
Arrive 10 minutes early to check-in and receive additional instructions.
Special Considerations
Volunteers must be outgoing and willing to socialize with the guests.
Job Description
Wednesday Duties Include: Prepare celery, carrots. Prep cans of green beans and cranberries. Anything else that may need to be done.
Thursday Duties Include: Heat up green beans. Wash pots and pans. Anything else that may need to be done.
Time Slots
Wednesday, November 22, 2023
- 9:30am – 11am: 4 slots
- 11am – 1pm: 4 slots
- 1pm – 3pm: 4 slots
Thursday, November 23, 2023
- 10am – 12pm: 3 slots
- 12pm – 2pm: 3 slots
- 2pm – 4:30pm: 3 slots
Where To Go
Wednesday – Report to the back of the La Crosse Center, check in at the Volunteer Check In, then find the Kitchen area and check in with the Committee Chair.
When To Arrive
Arrive 10 minutes early to check-in and receive additional instructions.
Job Description
Prepare and portion dinners for home deliveries and carry-outs.
Time Slots
Thursday, November 23, 2023
- 10am-Noon: 28 slots
- Portion the hot food for the deliveries and carry-outs
- Hot food runners
- Bag up the dinners
- Transport food to the Transportation Volunteers
- Track the number of dinners being served
- Check with the Committee Chair to see what else needs to be done
- Noon-2pm: 28 Slots
- Portion the hot food for the deliveries and carry-outs
- Hot food runners
- Bag up the dinners
- Transport food to the Transportation Volunteers
- Track the number of dinners being served
- Check with the Committee Chair to see what else needs to be done
- 2pm-4pm: 16 Slots
- Portion the hot food for the deliveries and carry-outs
- Hot food runners
- Bag up the dinners
- Transport food to the Transportation Volunteers
- Track the number of dinners being served
- Start to disassemble the food lines when no longer needed
- At 3pm, after all orders are completed, start taking dirty dishware to the Kitchen to be washed
- Turn off equipment and start cleaning up
- Take inventory of all unused dry goods
- Check with the Committee Chair to see what else needs to be done
Where To Go
Report to the La Crosse Center, check in at the Volunteer Check In, then find the Serving area and check in with the Committee Chair.
When To Arrive
Arrive 10 minutes early to check-in and receive additional instructions.
Special Considerations
Children under the age of 16 are welcomed with the assistance of an adult. Knives are used in the preparation of the pumpkin pies. Those volunteers putting the hot food “to-go” containers together will be working with hot food and electrical equipment.
- 10am-Noon: 28 slots
Job Description
Pick-up supplies.
Time Slots
Tuesday, November 21, 2023
- 8am – 11am: 3 slots
- Meet at the back of the La Crosse Center
- 11am – 1pm: 3 slots
- Meet at the back of the La Crosse Center
- 1pm – 3pm: 3 slots
- Meet at the back of the La Crosse Center
Wednesday, November 22, 2023
- 8am – 9am: 3 slots
- Meet at Central States Warehouse East Loading dock
- Pick-up supplies from storage area
- Deliver supplies to La Crosse Center
- 9am – 11am: 2 slots
- Meet in the back of the La Crosse Center
- 11am – 1pm: 2 slots
- Meet in the back of the La Crosse Center
- 1pm – 4pm: 2 slots
- Meet in the back of the La Crosse Center
Where To Go
To Pick-Up Supplies: Meet at the back of the La Crosse Center to get your directions.
To Drop Off Supplies: Drop off to the back of the La Crosse Center, closest to the Radisson.
When To Arrive
Arrive 10 minutes early to check-in and receive additional instructions.
Special Considerations
Insured vehicle required.
- 8am – 11am: 3 slots
Job Description
Deliver meals to guests at home.
- Transportation Volunteers need to approach the side of the La Crosse Center in their vehicles. A single file line of volunteer vehicles will form designated by traffic cones to await direction. Meals will be delivered to the vehicles by volunteers.
- Transportation Volunteers will need to remain in their vehicles.
- General directions will be available, but personal GPS systems or cellular phone mapping features would be highly recommended.
- We are also offering Carry-out Meals this year to those who come down to the La Crosse Center to pick them up. These meals will be brought out to those vehicles by Transportation Volunteers.
General Meal Delivery Process
- Meals will be brought to your car by transportation staff along with the address you will be delivering to.
- Each meal contains two containers: one hot and one cold. (If you are delivering 5 meals you will have 10 containers.)
- After receiving the meals to be delivered, the transportation volunteers will direct you out of the La Crosse Center parking lot.
- Deliver meals.
- If you receive a donation from someone, it needs to be returned to the La Crosse Center transportation staff.
- When you are finished delivering your meals, you may check back to see if more meals need to be delivered.
Time Slots
Thursday, November 23, 2023
- 9:30am-10:30am (pick up guests): 3 slots
- 10:30am – 11:30am (meal delivery): 22 slots
- 11:30am -12:30pm (meal delivery): 22 slots
- 12:30pm – 1:30pm (meal delivery): 22 slots
- 1:30pm – 2:30pm (meal delivery): 20 slots
- 2:30pm-3:30pm (return guests to their residences): 2 slots
Where To Go
Report to the back of the La Crosse Center by the loading dock.
When To Arrive
Arrive 10 minutes early to check-in and receive additional instructions.
Special Considerations
- Although we greatly appreciate everyone’s willingness to help out, we ask that you take a maximum of three deliveries at a time so all volunteers have an opportunity to deliver meals.
- If you have a GPS to assist in locating guest addresses, please bring it for your use.
- Insured vehicle required
Job Description
Check-in volunteers
- Some volunteers may be volunteering for community service hours, please sign their confirmation sheets when asked.
Time Slots
Thursday, November 23, 2023
- 9:45am – Noon: 3 slots
- 11:45am – 2pm: 3 slots
- 1:45pm – 3:30pm: 3 slots
Where To Go
Report to the La Crosse Center and report to the volunteer check-in area.
When To Arrive
Arrive 10 minutes early to check-in and receive additional instructions.
Special Considerations
None
Job Description
Welcome guests
Time Slots
Thursday, November 23, 2023
- 9:45am – Noon: 4 slots
- 11:45am – 2pm: 4 slots
- 1:45pm – 3:30pm: 3 slots
Where To Go
Report to the La Crosse Center and report to the volunteer check-in area.
When To Arrive
Arrive 10 minutes early to check-in and receive additional instructions.
Special Considerations
None
Volunteer Sign-Up
We can’t wait to see you again for our 2024 Thanksgiving Dinner. Come back on November 1st to sign-up for volunteering.