A Thanksgiving lunch at the Aspen Mine Center for hundreds of people and holiday food boxes at Little Chapel Food Pantry, there were precious moments in Teller County last week.

“I appreciate the turkey, but I have my eyes set on one of those apple pies,” said Gordon Harnley, who his wife Dorothy was almost through the traffic line at the pantry in Divide.  With a twinkle, Harnley added, “I put milk all over the pie – I love it.”

Teller County commissioners Bob Campbell, Erik Stone and Dan Williams, along with Sheriff Jason Mikesell and Lt. Renee Bunting greeted the recipients with a smile and a turkey.

There were students from 4-H and Woodland Park School District who helped load boxes in the assembly line. Teller County deputies directed traffic on CR5 into the pantry entrance. In addition, volunteers from Apex Waste Solutions handled the trash cans.

“We are providing food for 400 families who registered,” said Judi Hesselberg, who with her husband Ken, founded and manages the food pantry.  “We don’t ask questions, just names and number of family members.”

Local artist Amy Spring was on hand to bring boxes of turkey and fixings for her neighbors.

“There are people in this community who can’t get to the food pantry,” she said.

The day before Thanksgiving, the commissioners and Cripple Creek city officials helped serve a complete turkey meal to residents and friends in the community. The tables were set and there was plenty of conversation, along with the smiles that accompany kindness and camaraderie.

The Thanksgiving lunch is an annual event for the Aspen Mine Center/Community of Caring nonprofit organizations in Cripple Creek.