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.

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).  

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

* 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.

Reedsport

* A community Thanksgiving Service will be held at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 21, at Reedsport United Presbyterian Church, 2360 Longwood, next to the High School.

The service, sponsored by the Lower Umpqua Ministerial Association, is an annual event that brings many of the churches together to offer thanksgiving to God for the country we live in and the many blessings we share.

For information, those interested can contact the Rev. Marcia Muir at (541) 271-3214.

* The Lower Umpqua Ministerial Association will hold a community Thanksgiving dinner from noon to 2 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day at the Lower Umpqua Senior Center, 460 Winchester Ave., in Reedsport.

Thanks to volunteers from various churches, those who are homebound can have the dinner delivered by calling 271-3928 anytime before Thanksgiving Day.

There also are a limited number of rides available to those without transportation, so they may attend. These can also be arranged by calling (541) 271-3928.