Editor's note: This story is part of Southwest Michigan Second Wave's On the Ground Battle Creek series.
 
CALHOUN COUNTY, MI — A healthy serving of support will be dished out with every meal at this year’s Battle Creek Pride Annual Holiday Dinner from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, November 29 at Christ United Methodist Church in Bedford Township. The dinner is free and open to anyone in the Battle Creek community.
 
“The dinner is needed more this year than ever given the results of the recent presidential election,” says Pam McCoy, BC Pride Board Member and Volunteer and Events Coordinator. “Our LGBTQIA+ community is struggling and we need to gather together to show them that they do have support.”
 
Like LGBTQIA+ organizations throughout the United States, BC Pride has been focusing on calming the fear and anxiety expressed by members of Battle Creek’s LGBTQ community in the aftermath of the election.
 
“Our community is scared,” says Deana Spencer, co-president of BC Pride. “This is a time when we need to gather together in support and solidarity more than ever.”

President-Elect Donald Trump and his soon-to-be Vice President, J.D. Vance have both been accused of seeking to roll back key LGBTQ+ rights, while millions of dollars were spent on advertisements using anti-transgender messaging during the campaign, according to an article on the Context website.
 
“LGBTQ+ advocates and allies have described a possible Trump administration as dangerous for the community, citing policies against gender-affirming care for minors, education in schools, and protection from discrimination,” the article says.
 
Just after midnight on Election Night (November 5) the Trevor Project, the leading suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ+ young people, experienced an approximately 125% increase in contact compared to normal days, says Jaymes Black, CEO of the organization.
 
“Members of our LGBTQIA+ community are looking to us for support and a safe space where they can talk openly about what most worries them,” Spencer says. “This is in our organization’s DNA. The dinner provides one more opportunity to come together.”
 
The need continues to grow
 
The idea for the yearly gathering took root while Spencer and her partner, Mitzi Harrison, sat together one night while watching television. Harrison passed away in 2015.
 
The dinner was originally held at the former Partners Bar on North Avenue, owned by Rick Rogers. For the first three years, Spencer says, it was more of a potluck. She would secure small donations of gift cards from stores in the area, including Family Fare and Meijer, to buy what she could based on the card amounts and solicit people to cook the turkeys, hams, and side dishes.

“We would farm the food prep out to different folks. Rick would open the bar and provide water and soda at no cost and if people wanted to buy an alcoholic drink, they could. We tried not to encourage the alcohol too much because some people brought little kids with them,” she says. “That’s how it started. We had 45 that first year.”
 
In 2023, about 160 meals were served to people who attended in person or had meals delivered to them by volunteer drivers, McCoy says.
 
This year, enough food will be prepared to serve anyone in the Battle Creek area who needs a hot meal and companionship, says Chris Fulbright, who has served as the Head Chef for the dinner for more than 10 years.
 
He demoted himself to Chef this year because of work commitments as a Long-Term Special Education Teacher with Springfield Middle School.
 
But, just like in years past, he’ll start his meal preparations the morning of the dinner with assistance from four volunteers.
 
“Usually we do anywhere between four to five turkeys and four hams and between 50 and 60 pounds of potatoes,” Fulbright says. “We’ll also have the traditional sides like stuffing, green bean casserole, rolls, and pies.”
 
In addition to the meal, Santa will make an appearance and all those who attend will have the opportunity to have a photo taken with him that will be printed on-site free of charge. There also will be a craft corner for children to make a gift for a parent or guardian.
 
The budget for this year’s gathering is about $1,000, most of which has been raised through a GoFundMe effort, McCoy says. These funds will be used to offset the cost of the activities and some of the food.
 
Fulbright says donations of canned items and non-perishable food are currently being accepted. Perishable items will be accepted the week of the dinner.
 
When the dinner first began, it was geared towards the LGBTQIA+ community. Fulbright says it has become an opportunity for the LGBTQIA+ community to give back to the community as a whole.

“It’s us coming together as one big community,” he says. “There are a lot of free Thanksgiving dinners that happen throughout Calhoun County and this one is a family-friendly, fun event, and it’s completely free to the public. We just want people to come in and enjoy their food and each other's company.”

Individuals interested in volunteering, making a monetary donation, or donating perishable or non-perishable food donations for the dinner may contact Pam McCoy at (517) 414-0293.