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Gillani putting it all on the table

Volunteers taking names of those needing hot meal on Thanksgiving

By Mike Conley | The McDowell News

Published: November 16, 2009

This year, local businessman Anwer Gillani and his group of dedicated volunteers will again work hard on Thanksgiving Day to give deserving folks a good meal.
They will deliver free meals to the homebound, the elderly and any one else who may not be able to enjoy a turkey dinner. Folks can also come to the McDowell County Senior Center and enjoy a Thanksgiving meal, organizers said.
This year, the effort, called GVA of McDowell County, will try to serve approximately 1,700 to 1,800 meals. GVA stands for Gillani's Volunteer Association. This will be the 14th year for the effort and it keeps growing. Last year, GVA of McDowell County served 1,650 meals.
Jo Shuman, who helps Gillani organize the event, said that indicates the need is growing in McDowell County after so many plant closings and lost jobs.
"It tells us our economy has not improved since last year," she said. "That is an indication. I don't see any improvement from last year."
Shuman said she, Gillani and other volunteers are glad to deliver the free meals to folks on Thanksgiving Day. But the growing numbers reveal that the need is greater now.
"We do want to try to get everybody that we can," she said.
For those who can go, the food will be served at the McDowell Senior Center from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day.
But for those who can't get out, meals will be delivered to their homes. Volunteers are asking people who are expecting a delivered meal to be patient.
As before, the organizers are working with the McDowell County Department of Social Services, the Meals on Wheels program, local churches and private individuals in planning the list of names. In addition to the volunteers, the delivery will involve the Old Fort Police Department, the Marion Police Department, the McDowell County Sheriff's Office and individual drivers. About 60 volunteers will help serve and deliver the meals.
"All of it is done out of the Senior Center," said Shuman. "We had 78 last year. We were bombarded with volunteers."
The cutoff day for names to be added to the list is Monday, Nov. 23.
To have your name or someone else's added to the list, you should call Hoppi Robertson at 442-2957 or 668-7027 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Sunday.
If you call that number and get a voicemail, then you should state the name of the person, telephone number and specify it is for the Thanksgiving meals. Robertson will return that call, said Shuman.
When the effort began, Gillani first sponsored the delivery of approximately 150 meals to the homebound residents of Old Fort. Each year, it gets larger.
The effort seeks to deliver meals to people who are unable to leave their homes or cannot make a Thanksgiving meal on their own. The meals have been delivered to the homebound, the elderly and the handicapped of McDowell. The effort is also aimed at those who might be alone on Thanksgiving Day and may not have a traditional meal.
A long-time McDowell resident and businessman, Gillani said he started doing this because he was inspired by his late brother Noordin Gillani from his native country, Bangladesh. His older brother always provided meals for the needy during the holiday season and Gillani has carried on that tradition here.
After coming to McDowell in 1982, Gillani operated the Jean People store in downtown Marion for several years. A U.S. citizen for the past 20 years, he now owns a small chain of the Samir's convenience stores in McDowell County.