A Helping of Compassion

November 26, 2005

Sai Ram

Volunteers Make Feasts for the Homeless and Those on the Job

By Jacqueline L. Salmon and Theola S. Labbe Washington Post Staff Writers

Friday, November 25, 2005; Page B01

Equipped with gratitude, serving spoons and massive quantities of roasted

poultry, Washington area residents pitched in yesterday to ensure that others

less fortunate also got to enjoy a bounteous Thanksgiving.

Charity volunteers, religious groups, hotel employees and individual

do-gooders took time out from football and feasting to serve turkey dinners and

hand out gifts to the needy and to workers who had the misfortune of pulling a

holiday shift.

"This is the best way to start off Thanksgiving," said Randy Staples, 32,

as a line of volunteers dished turkey, macaroni and cheese, rice and gravy into

Styrofoam containers and handed them to worn-looking men in McPherson Square in

downtown Washington.

Staples and his wife, Necola -- along with their three children, friends and

co-workers from his Pentagon office and her consulting job -- carted down enough

turkey and fixings yesterday morning to feed 200 people at the square, a popular

gathering place for the homeless. It was their ninth year there, the couple

said.

Most recipients said they were grateful for the hot meal.

"It's nice for the people to come out," said Thomas, 48, who declined to

give his last name. "I didn't expect all this. Everything you can have at home

is all here."

Across the park, a dozen volunteers from the Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Organization's spiritual center in Bethesda handed out new blankets and

toiletries -- an annual tradition for the group, said member Mohan Ram.

The beneficiaries, mostly men, murmured their thanks as they moved by, some

balancing their containers of food on top of their gifts.

"We love doing this," said Ram, beaming. "We like to do service to humanity.

.. . . The spirit of service is very important."

Extract from,

Namaste - Reet

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