Communities in the region have begun planning celebrations and gatherings for Thanksgiving, including the following:

Coquille

Coquille’s annual community Thanksgiving service will be held at 6 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 18, at the Coquille Church of the Nazarene, 997 W. Central Blvd. Guest speaker will be Pastor Mark Elefritz, the new pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church in Coquille.

Donations of canned food for the food banks and an offering for the People Helping People fund will be taken. The event is sponsored by the Coquille Ministerial Association.

For more information, those interested can call 396-2521.

Coos Bay

The annual community Thanksgiving dinner will be held from noon to 3 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 22, at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 1290 Thompson Road, in Coos Bay. The event is sponsored by the Ecumenical Food Cupboard, area churches and local businesses and is open to everyone in the community.

For more information, transportation or delivery to the homebound, those interested can call 267-2347.

The Salvation Army will serve a Thanksgiving Dinner from noon to 2 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 22, at the Salvation Army Worship and Service Center, 1155 Flanagan Ave. (four blocks south of the 7-Eleven in Empire). It will be free and open to the public. The whole family can come.

Those who need transportation or delivery should call 888-5202 on Wednesday, Nov. 21, only.

The South Coast Gospel Mission, 1999 N. Seventh St., will serve a Thanksgiving dinner at noon on Nov. 22.

Bandon

Volunteers with Holiday Meals will be preparing a community Thanksgiving dinner at The Barn.

Additional volunteers are needed. For dessert donations, call Ruth Ball at 347-2779. Those who want to serve, do dishes or help in any other way, can call Marge Scott at 347-4224 or 297-2289.

Those who need meals delivered on Thanksgiving can call Helen at 347-9113.

The Thanksgiving meal will be served from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The community is welcome.