The aroma of a traditional Thanksgiving dinner floated through the gymnasium at the Crossroads Community Center (16000 NE 10th St.) on Tuesday, Nov. 25. The pre-Thanksgiving meal attracted families, kids and community members to the free dinner and holiday celebration hosted by Bellevue Parks and co-sponsored by the Aldersgate Methodist Church.

More than 250 people piled into the gymnasium for arts and crafts, a generous Thanksgiving meal with all the fixings including turkey, gravy, stuffing, cranberry sauce and mash potatoes, and a dance performance by a Brazilian dance group.

Eight-year-old Gabriel and his two-year-old brother Matthew watched the snowflakes fall inside one of the giant toy turkeys on display throughout the gymnasium. The room was full of laughter and good holiday spirit as people from all backgrounds and nationalities joined together for the feast.

Patrick Alina the Youth Link Program Coordinator of Teen Closet kicked off the night with an open invitation for teens to browse through donated clothes and outerwear. Teen Closet aims to fill in the age and style gap that current clothing banks have.

About 40 volunteers from Aldersgate Methodist Church served dinner to the guests and Parks and Community Service System Director Terry Smith helped deliver the plates to each table.

“This is a great turnout this year and everyone appears to really be enjoying themselves,” Smith said with a smile.

For more information on Crossroads Community Center contact Vicki Drake, Director at 425-452-4874. To find out more about Youth Link’s Teen Closet, visit www.youthlink.com.

Lindsay Larin can be reached at llarin@reporternewspapers.com or 425-453-4602.