Feast from the heart

High school students donate their time, and owner of Angel’s Car Spa donates the turkey and trimmings for early Thanksgiving dinner at Costa Mesa Senior Center. Thanksgiving dinner came a day early at the Costa Mesa Senior Center.

More than 160 people feasted on turkey, stuffing, cranberries and pumpkin pie Wednesday afternoon at the center.

“Some of the people, this is it. This is their Thanksgiving,” said the center’s executive director, Aviva Goelman.

Surat Singh, owner of Angel’s Car Spa in Costa Mesa, provided all the food for the gourmet spread.

“This wouldn’t happen without him. He believes in giving back to the community, and he loves the seniors,” Goelman said.

Singh said he has been donating the food for five years because he feels he has a responsibility to give back to the seniors.

“If the seniors were not there yesterday, we would not be here today,” he said. “I feel that I have a responsibility, that we should take care of all the seniors.... I do it from my heart.”

Members of the Leos Club at Costa Mesa High School pitched in for the afternoon, helping the senior center staff serve food, socializing with the guests and cleaning up afterward.

“I just wanted to help out with the community,” said Catherine Tran, 14.

Ed and Franca Carmona acted as chefs for the day, coming in at 6 a.m. to prepare the eight turkeys, each weighing in between 20 and 23 pounds.

“I couldn’t make it any better,” Goelman said, adding that all the food was beautifully prepared and delicious.

“Everything was good,” said a satisfied Lisa Coyle. “I liked the turkey.”

The afternoon was not without entertainment -- two clowns from the Volunteer Clowns of Orange County showed up to decorate everyone with smiley-face stickers and spread some cheer around the room.

Ed Carmona sang “When You’re Smiling” as Firecracker the clown -- Mandy Hall of Fountain Valley -- played the piano.

Hall, a retired teacher, said she started volunteering with the clowns five months ago because she needed a creative outlet and wanted to make people happy. Plus, she loves working with children, and the Volunteer Clowns frequently visit children’s hospitals and attend charitable events for children.

“We felt honored to have the clowns,” said Santa Ana resident Cesare Ferrari, “especially since she played the piano so beautifully.”

The clowns -- Hall and Gloria “Glo” Roth of Huntington Beach -- also made heart-shaped balloons and passed them out to many of the seniors.

“We’re so lucky to have so much help today,” Goelman said. “The students have been great.”

* LINDSAY SANDHAM can be reached

at (714) 966-4625 or [email protected].

20051126iqjaifknDOUGLAS ZIMMERMAN / DAILY PILOT(LA)Costa Mesa High School student Taryn Randall shares a laugh with Joyce Bunney of Costa Mesa during the Thanksgiving feast at the Costa Mesa Senior Center on Wednesday. Several high school students donated their time to help serve the meals during the feast.