W&N Enterprises holds 12th annual Thanksgiving dinner for the community

Photos and article by Mary Alice Murphy

"We served 1486 this year," Debbie Nennich, owner with her husband. Jim, and brother, Mark Winger, and sister-in-law Peggy Winger, of W&N Enterprises. "My brother Mark is the W of W&N."

To feed that many people at the Knights of Columbus Hall on Sunday afternoon, Nov. 22, the Nennichs, Wingers and their helpers roasted 24 turkeys, baked 22 hams, made 28 pans of stuffing, cooked about 300 pounds of potatoes, and baked seven full sheet cakes, plus various other snacks and desserts, not to mention the corn, rolls and butter.

This year mirrors the past two years when the Nennichs have served about 1,500 plates with few to no leftoversâ€”"just a little bit of tossed salad this year."

"If there's anything left over, we take it to the Gospel Mission," Debbie Nennich told the Beat. "We are partners with the Gospel Mission and send them TGI pizzas and food from the Food Baskets."

She pointed to the Santa Claus in the corner and said they also donate more than 100 toys for children that come with the families to the dinner.

"This year, we've had people from Colorado and Louisiana, who were in town and came to celebrate with us," she said.

Her brother, Mark, and his wife come from Texas every year to help.

"He builds race cars and engines," Debbie Nennich said. "He's also a professional drag racer. His race engine will be featured on Street Outlaws on TV in about eight weeks."

"It's a 632 cubic-inch nitrous engine," Mark Winger said. "The show takes three days to film. We came here while they were filming in Oklahoma. They will also film in our shop."

He said he and his wife do a lot in Texas for the Wounded Warriors. "We also host a youth hunt for city kids."

Debbie Nennich said they could not do the event each year without help from the volunteers. "We have volunteers from the Gaffney-Oglesby Marine Corps League Detachment 1328, from Gila Regional Medical Center, from the Chicano Music Festival, and from area Catholic churches, including 16 of the 2016 confirmation class. This year, she also had her grandson, Coleton Rogers, and his sister, Areena, helping serve.