On Wednesday, when many were shopping for holiday meals, or packing the car for trips out of town, Mayor Phil Gordon exchanged holiday greetings, served meals to Phoenix homeless and donated 18 dozen hotdogs to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul dining room, near Ninth Avenue and Jackson Street.
Wearing a black American Gangster T-shirt, Phillip Jackson accepted a plate of spaghetti, corn niblets, peach slices, whole wheat bread and a slice of lemon cake from Gordon, thanking him for the meal.
"I saw him when he was here last year," Jackson said.
The frozen Best's Kosher Deli beef franks were part of a bet Gordon won from Chicago's Mayor Richard Daley when the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Chicago Cubs during the MLB playoffs in October.
The society's executive director Steve Zabilski said the mayor is a wonderful civic leader who volunteers at the dining hall throughout the year.
"To have him in our dining room is a special blessing to us," Zabilski said. "It's very appropriate that this time involves the Arizona Diamondbacks. They come here every month to serve."
Also serving meals the day before Thanksgiving with Gordon were 25 employees from PricewaterhouseCoopers.
The society's first charity dining hall opened in 1952. Five dining halls serve meals to the Valley's homeless daily.
"We haven't missed serving a meal since 1952," said Susan de Queljoe, director of community relations. "We always need help. Not just on Thanksgiving."
Details: www.stvincentdepaul.net.
by: Sadie Jo Smokey, Arizona Republic
