The leaves
are falling, the air is crisp, and there is football every weekend. It must be
autumn in Chicago and that can only mean that the annual student Thanksgiving
feast is on the horizon.
I am
involved with many different types of events each year as part of my job at
North Park, but hands down my favorite one is taking in the sights and
sounds and smells of the Thanksgiving dinner that the ARAMARK staff prepares
for all the students on campus. At least an hour before the doors to the dining
hall open at 4:30 p.m., you can see the line growing through Magnuson and up
the stairs towards the double doors that will swing open and be flooded by a
sea of starving students. The air is electric with anticipation and dare I say
even excitement. The dining room has been decorated with the Thanksgiving theme
and transformed into a huge cafeteria with three large serving lines overflowing
with all the traditional holiday foods you may see at home, and some you just
may not! Behind the serving tables you won’t be served by the ARA staff that students are used to seeing daily, but rather your turkey may be expertly
carved by President Parkyn himself and gravy poured by his wife, Professor
Linda Parkyn. Down the serving line may be Provost Jones or Dean Nevels or other
members of our administration team in aprons and chef’s hats. Another serving
line may be manned by the residence life staff with turkeys being carved by VPs
Carl Balsam and Dan Tepke or Seminary President Jay Phelan.
The warmth
and energy in the room creates the feelings that should be connected with a
holiday like Thanksgiving. Those of us who work at North Park are grateful for
the students who attend here and make this place what it is. This is a small
way to give back and to give thanks. For this one evening, we are all one big
happy University family counting our collective blessings and making yet
another special North Park memory. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
–Sue Gost, Director of University Events
