For many, this year has been one of never-ending change. Many Thanksgiving traditions have been put on the back-burner, amidst the chaos.

It’s the season to take a step back and reflect on what to be thankful for, so let’s visit the last 60 years of MCHS Thanksgiving traditions.

In the Nov. 21, 1951, issue of the PPC,  front page editor Joyce Winterbottom walked through the Thanksgiving traditions.

The Turkey Raffle included the grade school, and the highest salespeople won silver dollars. Four names were drawn to win two turkeys, a goose and a duck. 

Then in 1978, the PPC highlighted the upcoming holiday with autumnal poems, written by students. Among other students to celebrate Thanksgiving, Maria Crego shared what the holiday meant to her: “A time to be happy and share good times with relatives and friends.” 

In the 1991 issue, the student council sponsored a food drive for the upcoming holiday. Kelly Greco said that “the food drive was a great opportunity for the students at Minooka to help make some less fortunate families’ Thanksgiving meals as satisfying as theirs.”

In 2006, in a PPC article called “Turkey Day Traditions,” Sarah Silverman wrote, “the point is that no matter what you do on a holiday it seems to be more of who you are with that makes it special.”

In 2011, the school held a Turkey Trot, which took place on the limestone path at Central Campus. During students’ physical education class, they would take part in this activity. 

Additional reporting for this story by Paige Anderson