North Myrtle Beach Times Serving our Community and the Grand Strand for over 50 years
By Kaye Collins
Open Hearts Community Outreach (OHOC) offered the community a traditional Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday, Nov. 27, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The doors at Ernie’s Diner opened with a volunteer welcoming all who entered Ernie’s Diner to share a meal. Families, friends and individuals sat down at the tables and were served turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans, corn, cornbread, dessert and a drink of their choice.
This year, the number of drive-through vehicles collecting meals surpassed that of patrons who dined inside the restaurant. “We provided 697 meals, I feel our event was a tremendous success,” stated Lori Brown, co-director of OHCO. “We achieved a record number of meals served via our drive-by lane.” She mentioned that the weather might have influenced the high volume of drive-through customers picking up meals to take home; otherwise, she believes they could have set a new record for the event. The breakdown of meals served is 428 drive-through meals, 74 dine-in meals and 47 dinner take-outs.
Ernie Ross and Brown serve as co-directors of OHCO, working tirelessly alongside volunteers each year to ensure the success of their Annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner. They extend their gratitude to the Men’s Group at Crossway Church for deep frying 66 turkeys, which were then broken down into pans for delivery to the diner. Ross cooked three turkeys and made the side dishes in his restaurant. Additionally, they acknowledge the 33 volunteers who assisted in setting up the restaurant, welcoming guests, serving meals, and helping with clean-up. Brown conveyed her heartfelt appreciation to those who opted to spend the holiday spreading joy to others. The staff members from Ernie’s Diner, Richelle Dirette, Catrina Maher and Lamont Vostic, dedicated their day off to serving others. Brown expresses gratitude to local businesses and residents who provided financial support or donated food to help create a delightful Thanksgiving meal.
Richelle and Catrina were serving as waitresses while Lamont managed the food line. Ray Coleman contributed by bringing his smoker to support the outdoor service, which proved to be immensely beneficial. Philip Schilke coordinated the drive-thru line, marking the area with caution tape and cones. Oscar and Austin Sanchez helped with managing the line.
The leftover food was given to Cookie Tisdale, the director of Blessed are Those Who Bless Others. She effectively put together 200 Thanksgiving meals and also prepared five large pots of turkey soup, which fed 315 people with a 16-ounce serving of soup. “I am thankful for the assistance provided by Open Hearts in supplying turkey dinners for distribution to individuals experiencing homelessness,” stated Tisdale. “Chris and I are committed to aiding them in every possible manner.” She explains that some individuals are merely one step away from homelessness, residing in tents exposed to the elements. Many members of the homeless communities she serves are elderly, yet there are also children whose circumstances are a journey no parent wishes to witness. Tisdale actively engages with these communities daily, distributing food and offering sincere prayers to anyone who requests them.
Tisdale and her husband Chris work diligently throughout the year to support the homeless population. They provide hot meals made possible through the generous donations of individuals and businesses that contribute food, while also gathering winter clothing, blankets, and assisting in finding shelter during the colder nights. Currently, they are collecting items for Christmas for those who are shut-in and the homeless. Anyone interested in contributing can obtain a list of needed items and her CashApp to help bring joy to those in need.
Open Hearts Community Outreach consistently provides support to the community in multiple ways. In the last year, they have connected with individuals dealing with medical issues or those who have suffered a house fire, losing all their possessions, by hosting a Spaghetti Dinner/Auction to raise funds for families in need. These individuals often lack insurance for medical expenses or require assistance in replacing their belongings after a fire. Although they wish to help everyone, they conduct meetings to devise strategies for providing aid, directing individuals to available resources, and supplying information to families in crisis.
OHCO thanks the community for participating in dining with them on Thanksgiving Day and look forward to their 15th Annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner in 2026.
