Lytle Junior High School

Yesterday, November 19, 2023, Lytle ISD hosted a community Thanksgiving Dinner and it was a huge success, serving close to 300 people! Lytle ISD administrtaion is very grateful for those that were able to show up to help prepare the meal, serve the meal and clean up after the meal. Your incredible dedication and hard work truly made this event a tremendous success, and I wanted to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude to all of you. 

• Mrs. Galindo & Kaycee - Queens of Potatoes: Shavan & Kaycee thank you for gracing us with your potato mastery! From peeling to dicing to mixing, your skills were much appreciated! 

• Mrs. McDonald - Green Bean Casserole Master: Tammy, your green bean casserole was a crowd-pleaser, thank you for mixing so many canned goods. 

• Mr. Benson – Can Opening Expert: Robert, your skills at opening cans to prepare the meal were greatly appreciated, along with your chopping and dicing. 

• The Leverton Family - Roll Princess, Trash King, Family Finder Extraordinaire: Shaun, Courtney, Payton & Parker, you were essential to our operation, from the perfect rolls to managing the chaos, you were simply amazing. 

• Mrs. Zuvia – Mashed Potato Princess: Lorena, your mashed potatoes were the epitome of comfort food, after we figured out how to work the fancy mixer. The well timed laughs during the making of the mashed potatoes were much needed and appreciated. 

• Mrs. Conover – Serving Expert: Wendy, you kept things flowing smoothly at the serving window, and your all day dedication was truly appreciated. I am also sure that Chef will appreciate his further organized storage closet. 

• Chef & Mrs. Stewart - Chaos Coordinator and Stuffing Saving Grace: Johnny and Libby, your coordination skills and stuffing expertise saved the day! Thank you for keeping everything (and everyone) in order. 

• Mrs. Criswell - Instigator of the “Dish Car Wash” and College Helper Recruiter: Criswell, your innovative approach to washing dishes and recruitment efforts were instrumental in our success. We couldn't have done it without you. 

• Mrs. Bull - Jack of All Trades: Thank you, Mrs. Bull, for being our versatile problem solver. Your willingness to step in wherever needed was invaluable. 

• The Duty Family - Prep Masters: The Duty family's preparation skills and serving skills were impeccable, and we are grateful for your dedication to the cause. 

• The Sollock Family - Youth Group Wranglers, Deboning Extraordinaire; Best Sticky Pan Cleaner: Sollock family, your multitasking abilities were incredible! From wrangling the youth group to deboning and cleaning, you truly went above and beyond. 

• Methodist Church Members - Turkey Kings: Your expertise in handling the turkey was evident, Methodist Church members. The turkey was a highlight of our dinner and your skills, including pulling all the meat off the necks, were greatly appreciated. 

• Mrs. Dunnam – Chopped Master: Stephanie, your chopping skills ensured our ingredients were always ready when prepping all the things. Thank you for your precision and willingness to pitch in wherever needed. 

• Mrs. Armentrout & Jacob - Deboning Extraordinaires: Shelley & Jacob, your deboning skills were essential, and we appreciate your contribution to the meal and willingness to show up to serve others. 

• Ms. Jass & Mrs. Pierce - Serving and Clean Up Experts: Christina & Maggie, your service and cleanup efforts were vital in keeping everything running smoothly. We appreciate your hard work at the end of the day when all of us were starting to fade out. 

• Mr. & Mrs. Gonzalez - Prep, Serving, and Clutch with the Rolls: Adalia and Ruben, your dedication to both preparation and service, and your assistance with the rolls, were outstanding. 

• Olivia Martinez - Prep and Return to Serve/Clean Up: Olivia, your commitment to both preparation and cleanup helped us maintain a well-organized event. Thank you for going above and beyond to serve our school and community. 

• Mrs. Emerson - Celery Chopper: Tracy, your expert celery chopping skills were crucial in our meal preparation. Thank you for your attention to detail. 

• Methodist Church Youth Group – Warm Welcome & Turkey Deboned: The youth group's warm welcome to all and turkey deboning skills were essential to our success. Thank you for your contribution and volunteering. 

• Joseph Valdez, Kellyannh Castano & Lindon Hernandes (Culinary Students) - All Day Guidance to Adults Lost in the Kitchen, Turkey Prep: Students, your guidance and support throughout the day were greatly appreciated. Your contributions and dedication made a HUGE difference. Prepping 26 turkeys and getting them in the oven was no easy task, you all handled it with grace! 

• Mr. Escamilla - Background Guidance: Jacob, your behind-the-scenes guidance helped us stay on track. Thank you for your resourcefulness. 

• Mrs. Smith - Pie Cutting Expert: MCS, your pie cutting expertise added the perfect finishing touch to the meal. Thank you for your making sure all the slices were “just right.” 

• The Reyes Family - Organizational Winners: Rachel, Maria & Ford your family's organizational skills were exemplary, and we're grateful for your contributions. You all pitched in when needed to finish decorating and sort canned goods to hand out to families, which was greatly appreciated. 

• Ms. Flores - Pan Rinsing Queen: Mae, your pan rinsing expertise saved us a lot of time and effort following the meal. Thank you for your valuable role and pitching in to help. 

• Pastor Engle - Trash King: Pastor Engle, your role as the "Trash King" was vital at the end of the evening. Thank you for your dedication. 

• Mr. Tollett - Unlocking Doors at the Drop of a Text: Richard, your prompt response in unlocking doors ensured smooth logistics. Thank you for your help. 

• Mr. Cross - Cooling Us All Down When We Were Heating Up: William, your assistance in keeping us cool during the busy day was a relief. Thank you for your quick support. 

• Mrs. Berchelmann – Human Calculator: Micah your ability to handle the intricacies of preparing and scaling up recipes for a large event like ours was invaluable. The pumpkin pies you provided were delightful and were enjoyed by all. 

This event could not have been pulled off with the many people above, along with various contributions leading up to the event. Your collective efforts helped our community Thanksgiving dinner be a heartwarming and memorable event for all involved. It was truly a joy to work alongside such a dedicated group of individuals, your generosity and commitment to our community are deeply appreciated. 

Wishing you all a warm, wonderful, much deserved Thanksgiving Break. 

Here is a photo album of the day’s activities: Community Thanksgiving Meal

Thank you once again for your outstanding contributions.