Food for Thought

Wesley Jones, head of the kitchen at the Rescue Mission, celebrated his first anniversary in the job cooking the annual Thanksgiving Feast for 300 guests, including 960 pounds of turkey, 100 pounds of potatoes, and 80 pounds of stuffing.

“It was nerve-wracking when I did it for the first time last year, but I’m now more confident and have great helpers,” says Wes, who replaced Daniel Osti.

Rolf Geyling, president of the mission, which has an annual budget of more than $2.5 million and helps more than 2,000 people annually, says: “It is a heaping help of love that transforms hearts and lives this Thanksgiving and beyond.”

Former Sopranos actor, Michael Imperioli and his wife, Victoria, volunteered again this year, while I celebrated my 11th year on waiter duty, with my trusty snapperazzi, Priscilla, ditching her Nikon to serve the goodies, including apple and pumpkin pies, along with Boy Scouts from the Santa Barbara troop, realtor Keith Berry, Gerd Jordano, and residents of the Samarkand retirement community.