More than 1,000 diners share in Aiken's One Table Thursday afternoon in The Alley.

Aiken gathers at One Table

By KAREN DAILY
Staff writer - Aiken Standard
Printed 11/23/2007

Grill them, and they will come.
And come they did — to downtown Aiken Thursday afternoon to share in what has become a Thanksgiving Day celebration and annual Aiken gathering.
The enticing aroma of turkey, ham, stuffing and mashed potatoes blended in The Alley with the joyful music performed by volunteer church choirs and bands at the third annual One Table dinner.
Volunteer cooks, loaded down with grills and smokers, headed into The Alley just after midnight Thursday to begin cooking the first of 130 turkeys being prepared for the community dinner.
Don Sprawls, one of the 10 grilling in the wee hours of the morning, said the chefs were mostly law enforcement officers and firefighters from the community who stayed up through the night, sharing what he joked were "old war stories."
"Most stayed until sun up," he said.
By noon, Sprawls said he was a little tired but excited to be a part of the downtown festivities.
Early estimates were that 1,200 people had pulled up to the One Table with loved ones, friends and strangers to celebrate together, said volunteer Kathryn Wade.
"I think we have seen people from every walk of life here having a very good time," she said.
Although it was a charity event for the whole community, many were handing Wade donations for next year.
Several months in the making and free to the public, the third annual event took the hard work of thousands, said volunteer Eddie George.
"You will never know how many people were working behind the scenes to make this happen," he said. "No doubt about it — there will be a fourth."
By 11 a.m., The Alley was brimming with activity.
Joyce Maston, her daughter and grandson, new to Aiken, were first-timers.
"This was a good time," she said with a plate full of food. "I would probably be at home if I weren't here— I'll be back again."
Despite the threat of much-needed rain, the weather held out until after the celebration as temperatures climbed into the 70s between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Accustomed to warm November weather, pianist and native Australian Gil Sullivan took in Thanksgiving festivities for the first time.
Heralded as "the finest interpreter of Mozart in the world," Sullivan will perform Saturday evening at the Aiken Center for the Arts.
He joked knowing only of the holiday from "American TV."
"I'm not fond of turkey, but this was really delicious," he said.
Most plates were cleaned, and few leftovers remained.
Contact Karen Daily at kdaily@aikenstandard.com.