Lola Porter cooks breakfast at the Keene Valley firehouse on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 26. (Photo provided— Naj Wikoff)

On Thursday morning, as she has done for the past 20 Thanksgivings, Lola Porter got up at 5 a.m., went to the Keene Valley firehouse, and cooked breakfast for members of her community, this year 109 strong.

On one hand, cooking breakfast for lots of people is nothing new for Porter as she founded the popular eatery Noonmark Diner nearly 35 years ago where many times she has cooked meals non-stop from early breakfast through dinners at night. The Noonmark is an institution loved by locals, seasonal residents and visitors alike. Many of her staff have worked for her for decades. Many patrons have supported the diner with equal passion and devotion.

“I’ve been doing this for around 20 years,” said Porter. “I’m not sure. We started when Tom with the reverend here. Before I started hunting, I was always home alone on Thanksgiving morning. I thought, ‘This is crazy,’ so I started this breakfast for other people who might not be out in the woods, and as a benefit for the church. What I love about the church is community. This breakfast is about community.”

Porter began mixing the dry ingredients for the pancake batter the day before, while on Sunday she mixed in the eggs and milk, and started cooking up the sausage. That spirit of community started with her family, nearly all pitched in right down to great-granddaughter Gabrielle.

Her husband Al, son Matthew, and grandson James helped set tables, granddaughters Melinda and Nora and Kaitlyn Coach laid out the place settings, decorations and condiments, started the coffee and hot water for tea, got out orange juice, and filled the pitchers with maple syrup donated by Kerry Whitney and Butch Gonyea while daughter-in-law Melanie cleaned dishes, pots and pans throughout the event.

Bonnie MacLeod and her mother Grace (Photo provided— Naj Wikoff)

As he has since the beginning, Pat Kirmer assisted and served as maitre d’, while Karen Glass joined the daughters and granddaughters as a waiter and pitched in wherever needed. Milton Dudley, pastor of the Keene Valley Congregational Church, set out the newspapers for sale and handled the cash box accepting contributions from the people as they came in, and all above helped with the cleanup at morning’s end.

“I don’t know how long I have been helping Lola,” said Karen Glass. “Maybe 10 years. I’m an early riser. I love seeing everybody. It’s a great place to be this morning. I think it reflects good outreach, good diversity, and a nice community.”

“I like being with the kids,” said Pat Kirmer. “People come because they know they are getting quality food, they know what they are getting in attention, and that we are all part of something right now. I see it as a remarkable thing that happens every year. It’s really very healing. I like everything about it.”

The doors opened at 7 a.m., and all was ready. Initially it’s a bit slow. Around 8 a.m., about a quarter of the seats have been taken, and soon thereafter it’s a rush. The attendees reflect a broad cross-section of the community, seasonal and local, young and old. They come because it’s one meal they don’t have to cook on Thanksgiving, but more because it’s a great time to catch up with one’s friends and neighbors, talk about the news, learn how the hunters are doing, and discuss plans for the day and weekend ahead. In addition, the breakfast is for a good cause as 100 percent of the funds raised support the church’s ministries.

“Yes, the church receives some money, but this is much more a community event,” said pastor Dudley. “It’s priceless what goes on in this room.”

Leslie Shipps, Pat Kirmer and Linda Steele enjoy each other’s company at the annual Thanksgiving breakfast at the Keene Valley firehouse. (Photo provided— Naj Wikoff)

This breakfast is a bit special and a bit sad as Porter has said next year someone else will have to take over, and Dudley will be missing at least from the front door as he is stepping down as pastor of the church. Both will gain the opportunity to sit down and enjoy Thanksgiving breakfast with others doing their share of the work. That’s the hope as all wish to see this annual gathering continue. As to who will step up and do all the cooking, that’s yet to be determined.

On my way out, I met several members of the Gregg family coming in, including Lise Revol and her husband Jean-Paul from France.

“It’s nice being here,” said Revol. In response to my question about how her countrymen and women are doing, she said, “I’m very proud of the way they are reacting. I’m very proud of my country. Most of the people I know were not in Paris because we don’t live in Paris area, but I do have friends there. Two kids from our village and the son of another friend were in the Bataclan (theater, where 89 died on Nov. 13) and all three survived. We are so grateful.”

My Thanksgiving ended over on the shores of Lake Champlain eating a very non-traditional meal yet within the context of the very traditional mix of friends and family. The dinner was all vegan, not a bit of animal byproduct, but boy was it a symphony of taste and texture prepared by Bonnie MacLeod for Grace, her 94-year-old, sharp-as-a-tack, mother. Grace walks over a mile a day, plays the organ and piano for her church, and more lively big band music at home.

“When I was a little girl we always had mashed potatoes and gravy, giblets gravy,” said Grace. “We didn’t have turkey. We couldn’t afford it. We had chicken and a couple pies. My grandmother was a very good cook. She came from a family of 11 children, so she knew what it took to put food on the table and feed a lot of kids when you didn’t have much money.”

“I’m thankful for my general health, which is good,” said Grace. “I can get around. I used to walk 5 miles day, but the woman I usually walk with winters in Florida. I’m thankful for my music, for my children who live in Maine, Portland, Oregon, San Francisco, and Bonnie who lives here, and that they are all well. My grandchildren are also all well. I have a lot to be thankful for.”