Mama Liz, Nickie Tedesco Thanksgiving dinners feed hundreds in Hermosa Beach
Over 50 cooked turkeys and even more pies were delivered to the Hermosa Beach Kiwanis and Rotary halls Thanksgiving morning. The donated fixings were just enough to serve the more than 400 guests who attended the 35th Annual Absolutely Free Mama Liz Thanksgiving Dinner. “Mama” Liz Turner established the dinner after she and her son Randy closed their downtown Hermosa Beach Garden Of Eden restaurant, where they had offered free Thanksgiving dinners each year. The tradition continued at the Hermosa Beach Kiwanis Hall during her years as an Easy Reader typesetter. Since her passing, the dinner has been under the leadership of Berkshire Hathaway Realtor Donna Dawick. Dawick solicits volunteers from among Easy Reader readers and and rounds up cooked turkeys from fellow Berkshire Hathaway Realtors. Sandpipers donates the pies. Real Estate West Realtor Jonathan Coleman, of the band Abracadabra, organizes the local musicians who perform throughout the day. Dennis “Balloon Man” Forel entertains the kids and Hermosa Celebrations’ Sandy and Michael decorate the Kiwanis Hall with brightly colored, helium balloons. This year’s chefs were Enrique and Ava Ramirez and rolls were donated by Panera Bread. As in past years, Hermosa Kiwanis made their hall available for the diners and the neighboring Hermosa Rotary Club donated the use of its kitchen for carving the turkeys.
Video by Alfredo Rodriquez, WaveLengthFilms.com
Nickie Tedesco gives her blessing to Her 48th Thanksgiving dinner on Pier Plaza. Photo
Dinner on Pier Plaza
Celebrating her 48th annual free community turkey dinner this year was Nickie Tedesco, who began the tradition in her Redondo Beach backyard. After a few years, when the guests became too numerous, she moved the dinner to Pier Plaza in downtown Hermosa Beach, where she is assisted by Dan Hubbard and the Breakwater Foursquare Church in Redondo Beach. ER
Photos /Easy Reader
