By Meg Peters
Review Staff Writer
Carl Slomczenski doesn’t worry about cooking Thanksgiving for twenty people. He has to feed 600.
CJ’s Lakeside Grille on Broadway may have seen one of the biggest turnouts in their nearly 30-year history of offering free Thanksgiving dinners to the community, easily topping last year, owner Slomczenski said.
After three days in the kitchen, weeks of preparation and mounds of donations, Slomczenski and his crew of cooks prepared 14 turkeys and all the regular fixings, feeding just about 600 people.
CJ’s is in its 17th’year of providing the free community meal. Before it was CJ’s, Margies offered the free meal for nearly 16 years.
‘We make this for people who just want to come and join us,? Slomczenski said. ‘We don’t put a label on it. It may be people that might not have a family, or maybe they need a meal, or this year was bad luck for them or whatever else. Everyone is here for the same purpose, to enjoy a good meal.?
It’s a family affair. Slomczenski’s daughters help serve the food, along with his staff who volunteer their Thanksgiving to spread their big and little moments of cheer.
‘At Thanksgiving you’re thankful for what you have, and you have to be thankful for your family, that you even have one,? Morganne Slomczenski, his 12-year-old daughter, said. ‘Some kids that live in foster homes don’t even have families and it takes them forever to get one, so you have to be thankful for who you have. Don’t be greedy, just enjoy life.?
Morganne helped other daughters of CJ’s employees who scuttled around taking orders, delivering heaping platefuls with big grins.??
Waitress Cindy Hickey has been serving platefuls of taters, casserole and turkey for almost 30 years, and now her granddaughters are helping deliver the starchy platefuls too. There was a great-grandbaby making her first appearance this year at six months old.
‘Anything he doesn’t use he takes to the food bank. Any money he receives he gives to the Lake Orion Lion’s Club. He’s a very generous man,? she said of Slomczenski, holding her great-grandbaby Adelynn Hickey.
Even the traditional Thanksgiving doorman, Motorcycle Abbott, was welcoming customers into CJ’s after a motorcycle accident last year that held him down for several months.
‘I’ll be the doorman until they fire me,? Bud Abbott joked. ‘I think this is so delightful. And it comes at just the right time’it just pulls the neighborhood together.?’This is what you do on Thanksgiving, you come here, mine the store for Carl and talk to pretty ladies. How much more pay could you need??
The compliments were dished out all afternoon.
‘We love having Bud around. He comes no matter what and is the perfect example of moving forward and doing a good thing,? Slomczenski said of Abbott.
That’s how CJ’s Thanksgiving is’full of the little things that brighten any blustery day.
One of the little servers running around, taking orders and delivering meals was Stadium Drive third-grader Bailey. Her favorite teacher, Ms. Purdon, surprised Bailey with a hand-made Thanksgiving apron to wear during the celebration.
Moments like this at CJ’s proved over and over again how it’s the little moments that count.
‘This is the first year we came, and the food is really good,? Lake Orion resident Jeff Weaver said. ‘I love to see the community getting together and doing great things.??
Slomczenski couldn’t agree more.
‘Maybe I give the building but beyond that everybody’s giving,? he said. ‘Some people cook turkeys, some people just pitch in their time. I have vendors that pitch in money and goods to have this. Hollywood Market donated ten turkeys. It’s not just me, it’s everyone that is involved.?
And after it was all said and done at?3 p.m.’Thanksgiving day, Slomczenski and his family went to his mother-in-law’s, where he could sit, relax, and take off the chef’s hat.