海角大神

The smiles, the full tummies, they鈥檝e become a holiday tradition here.

Thanks to Barb O鈥橬eill, a caring woman, and thanks to her son, Rodney O鈥橬eill, who has always said, 鈥淲hat can I do?,鈥� when he sees someone in need. And thanks to 600-plus volunteers who spread some holiday cheer.

Because of them, more than 4,200 people will get a free meal this year at a church in downtown Olympia, Wash. The meals are served at Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter, which continues a helping-hand tradition that has now gone on for more than 40 years.

The group鈥檚 Thanksgiving gathering this year will be Nov. 23 at First United Methodist Church, where about 2,000 people are expected to come for a free meal and some friendly mingling.

鈥淚 love it. Everyone loves it,鈥� Mr. O鈥橬eill says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a success because of all the people involved.鈥�

It all started in the early 1970s, when O鈥橬eill鈥檚 mother began inviting people over to her home in Lacey, Wash., for Thanksgiving when she learned they didn鈥檛 have much to eat. After a few years, 60 people were coming to her house for the holiday dinner. Eventually, she moved the dinners to local churches, where the gatherings grew some more.

The operation is now a nonprofit, called Barb O鈥橬eill鈥檚 Family and Friends. And in addition to the scrumptious holiday meals, the organization provides clothing, food baskets, toys, and other gifts. In the spring, it hands out about 500 Easter baskets, which include books as well as toothbrushes and toothpaste donated by local dentists. At Christmas, volunteers visit homes to give gifts to children.

鈥淚t鈥檚 amazing,鈥� says Shelly Willis, executive director of Family Education and Support Services, a nonprofit in Olympia whose aim is healthy child development. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a critical community support.鈥�

O鈥橬eill began helping at these meals when he was 6. Over the years, it became clear that Ms. O鈥橬eill was grooming her son to be her successor. She died in 2008, but not before sharing her vision for how the outreach would continue.

鈥淲e talked all the time the last three years I was her caregiver,鈥� he says. 鈥淲e talked all about the organization, about the direction. About everything.鈥�

By 2008, O鈥橬eill was the nonprofit鈥檚 executive director, keeping the holiday meals going. He never doubted he could do it.

鈥淚t鈥檚 important this continues because a lot of people have learned to rely on this as a tradition,鈥� he says. 鈥淣ot just for the people who are receiving the resources, but also the people who are volunteering and participating.鈥�

鈥業t鈥檚 a blessing for all鈥�

From the start, O鈥橬eill knew he couldn鈥檛 pull off these holiday meals by himself. The first need was for a kitchen manager. Rich and Kay Smith, a retired couple in Olympia, have been that key ingredient for the past decade. Still, it鈥檚 O鈥橬eill who keeps the tradition going 鈥� calling for donations, checking with volunteers, and scheduling dates with churches.

鈥淗e puts a lot of thought into following his mom鈥檚 legacy, which was about ensuring that families of all economic backgrounds had an opportunity to enjoy the holidays,鈥� Ms. Willis says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a blessing for all.鈥�

With O鈥橬eill managing the holiday meals project, the number of people being fed has increased from 1,200 a year to the 4,200 tally, which has been in place for several years now.

Willis sends families from her nonprofit to the meals, which include ham, turkey, or roast, depending on the holiday.

鈥淲ithout Rodney, there鈥檚 no other formal way for families to get those holiday meals,鈥� she says. 鈥淭here are certainly homeless meals offered, but there鈥檚 no holiday atmosphere without Rodney鈥檚 provision of services.鈥�

Frances Erickson, a retiree in Olympia, has volunteered at the gatherings. She and her children 鈥渨ere blown away by the love and compassion shown at this event,鈥� she says.

In addition to the volunteers, about 30 local businesses are involved, faithfully donating food, toys, and clothes. A local radio station, Mixx 96, coordinates the toy drive.

鈥淥ne of the most important things about everything we do is building a stronger community,鈥� O鈥橬eill says. He thinks it鈥檚 just as important to give people an opportunity to serve as it is to serve those who need help.

鈥榃e鈥檙e like family鈥�

Ana Perera and her family have been going to the holiday meals for 25 years, sometimes as volunteers, sometimes just to be with friends.

鈥淢y family loves it,鈥� says Ms. Perera, another retiree in Olympia. 鈥淲e won鈥檛 miss it. It鈥檚 just a wonderful time to get together and see people we haven鈥檛 seen since our last meal. We鈥檙e like family.鈥�

Besides putting on the holiday meals, O鈥橬eill also manages a catering service, Barb鈥檚 Famous BBQ. But as with his mother, his heart is in helping others. It鈥檚 what he learned from her.

鈥淢y dream is to one day do charity work full time,鈥� he says.

This past January, O鈥橬eill had a stroke and was temporarily paralyzed on his right side, leaving him unable to move his right hand or walk. He鈥檚 regained use of his hand, but is still using a wheelchair. Yet he keeps coordinating the events.

鈥淎 stroke is not a fun thing,鈥� O鈥橬eill says. 鈥淏ut I can鈥檛 stop. I have to continue to do this. I love it.鈥�

In her last days, Ms. O鈥橬eill shared one more important ingredient to running a successful meals program.

鈥淪he said if you lead by faith, it will work out,鈥� Mr. O鈥橬eill says. 鈥淢y mom was a true believer of faith in prayer, faith in God.鈥�

He notes that at times he had asked her, 鈥淲hy aren鈥檛 you planning this? Why aren鈥檛 you making phone calls?鈥� Her reply: 鈥淵ou have to have a different kind of faith.鈥�

鈥淲hen that light went on and I understood that, it changed my life,鈥� he says.

And now O鈥橬eill changes the holidays three times a year for many people in his community.

How to take action

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