The families of Mississippi State University students affected by Hurricane Katrina have the chance to celebrate Thanksgiving at MSU this year.
The MSU Student Association will hold the free event Nov. 25 at 2 p.m. at Perry Cafeteria.
The SA sent letters to all the students who were affected and contacted faculty, staff and alumni who live on the Gulf Coast from New Orleans, La., to Mobile, Ala., SA co-director of campus outreach Lindsey Tew said.
The group expects about 300 students, faculty, staff and alumni, along with their families, to attend, she said.
“Some people will probably do their own Thanksgiving thing on Thursday, but for some of these people who may have been displaced from their homes, it may just be a hassle to do Thanksgiving, or (it’s a) a financial burden,” she said.
“There are a couple of people who are just coming up to have Thanksgiving dinner, but most people had tickets already or have a student who goes here, so they were going to the Egg Bowl anyway,” SA executive assistant Jennifer Glaze said.
SA vice elections commissioner George Dunn, a native of New Orleans, came up with the idea for the dinner, Tew said.
His family home was flooded as a result of Hurricane Katrina, so his family didn’t really have a place to celebrate Thanksgiving, Tew said.
“We just kind of took it and ran with it,” Glaze said. “We decided that we wanted to do it on campus, and we decided that we wanted Dining Services to cater,” she said.
The event will cost around $3,000 or $4,000, Glaze said. The SA has raised most of the amount from within MSU and is waiting for a few responses from the community, she said.
“The cafeteria’s been really helpful working with us on prices and letting us use facilities and everything,” Tew said.
“It’s going to be a real Thanksgiving dinner, like turkey, dressing, stuffing, I think they said nine different vegetables, dessert, just the works,” she said.
Although the event is for members of the MSU family affected by Katrina, those who want to help serve food can contact Tew at [email protected], she said.
“The cafeteria people who come to serve and work, we want them to come sit down with us and eat also,” she said.
Children can have their faces painted and participate in arts and crafts at the event, and Bully will be available for photos, Tew said.
MSU President Charles Lee and local pastors will attend to speak and say the blessing, she said.
The SA will also hold a tailgating event immediately following Saturday’s Egg Bowl near the southwest corner of Lloyd-Ricks at the old rail road bed, SA director of athletic affairs Jeff Ellis said.
People wishing to attend the tailgate should park in the gravel lot near McComas and bring their own food, drinks and tailgating supplies, he said.