‘Tis the season to be giving. Thanksgiving came early for nearly 500 men, women and children by virtue of a car dealership’s generous donation.

For five years, Parkway Motorcars has donated the supplies and edibles needed to supply meals to local families and seniors in Valencia and, this year, Newhall.

“This is something we look forward to doing every year,” said Parkway Partner Steve Keefe. “More and more people have been coming each year. It’s really a blessing.”

Keefe and his daughter spent the evening serving the 400-plus families that walked through the doors of the Santa Clarita Community Center in Newhall to receive a dinner complete with turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce and dessert.   

“It’s always important to give back to the community because we wouldn’t be here with out them,” Keefe said.

For Community Center Supervisor Julie Calderon, the meal represented the beginning of what looks to be a successful season of giving.

“People from the community center and the Senior Center were invited to participate,” Calderon said. “It brings them together and gets them into the holiday mood.”

Dozens of volunteers, each with a serving of food and a smile, lined a series of tables delicately decorated with autumn-themed flowers. Two volunteers, Michael and Keitha Roth (pictured right) celebrated their 15-year anniversary serving bread behind the tables.

“I do it for the kids and the people that come through here,” said Parks Commissioner Duane Harte. “Getting to serve this Thanksgiving dinner, I feel is an honor.”

“At last count there were 426 people that went through our doors and that’s so far,” Harte said. “We have another 30 minutes to go. That’s a lot of people that now have meals.”

“We’ve had a great deal of people walk out and say how much they enjoyed the dinner,” he said.