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Sharing holiday spirit
Photo
Celeste Berry of Youngstown holds the hand of her grandson, 2-year-old Kenneth Miller, in the Downtown Circle Deli on West Federal Street as she reaches for a free turkey dinner. The deli gave away about 200 free meals Sunday.
By Sean Barron
YOUNGSTOWN
Siobohan Hallman plans to host several out-of-town relatives for Thanksgiving, though she first enjoyed receiving a jump-start on her holiday by being in the role of guest.
“I plan to be with family and celebrate with relatives coming from Columbus and Pennsylvania,” the Youngstown woman explained.
Beforehand, though, Hallman and her 10-year-old son, Sage Hallman, were part of Sunday’s turkey dinner giveaway at the Downtown Circle Deli, 116 W. Federal St.
Mother and son were among those who ate in or took home the free dinners of turkey, stuffing, rice, mashed potatoes, green beans, rolls and salad. The gathering was a way of giving back to the community, noted Al Adi, the deli’s owner who spearheaded the afternoon event.
Siobohan Hallman said she expects four or five relatives to visit for the holiday. Also on hand was Sage’s father, Christopher Lopez.
A handful of volunteers, including five members of the Youngstown State University-based Arab Student Organization, busily packaged, prepared and served the dinners for 20 people at a time. One member who made up the assembly line was Ismail Safi, a YSU junior and chemistry major.
“I feel like we have a good vision for the Youngstown area,” Safi said. “We’ve always wanted to give back. Most of us were born here, and we have a strong connection to the city.”
Safi noted that his group is planning additional community projects during the holidays, which includes the possibility of volunteering at a soup kitchen.
“I feel like we’re helping this community bring about a good vibe to the city,” added Tamer Ilayyan, a YSU sophomore who’s also an Arab Student Organization member and a chemistry major. “It’s the little things that bring drastic change to a community.”
Reaching out to those in need and less fortunate is nothing new to Adi, who estimated that 250 dinners had been given away in the gathering’s first hour.
He also conducted similar annual holiday efforts during the six years he owned an IGA Super Center grocery store in the McGuffey Plaza on the East Side. In addition, Adi distributed toys to children for Christmas — including about 1,500 in a single day.
Whether Adi’s giving away toys or turkey dinners, all of his efforts are tied together by a desire to reach beyond himself and thank people for their support, he said.
“It felt great to give back to the community and my customers. Without them, I would not be in business,” Adi added. “It’s a give and take. I feel obligated to give back all the time.”