Harrisburg fifth-graders feast with civic leaders

Thanksgiving came a little early for some members of the Harrisburg community Monday, when a fifth-grade class hosted local elected officials and others in the eye of the community.

Teacher Benjie Wilsey said her pupils have been hosting the event - a Thanksgiving feast - for about 15 years.

"It started out because one of my kids said they were having Thanksgiving dinner at Ryan's," Wilsey said. "I don't have anything against that. It was a great place to eat, but it wasn't a home-cooked Thanksgiving meal."

That first year, her class invited then-mayor Valerie Rose Mitchell as its "celebrity guest."

The next year, five in the class invited the mayor and a few more people. It grew from there. Before long, each pupil was allowed to invite a guest. Many were those in the public service realm.

Each student led his or her guest to the Pruett Building on Church Street, where the meal awaited. Guests also received a hand-made Thanksgiving turkey, the feathers of which contained the names of the guest's family, or themes related to the guest's job.

Fifth-grader Jameson Gibbs invited Daily Register editor John D. Homan. (This writer also was a special guest of the class).