The table is set. The food is warm. The prayers are said. Today, the Albert Lea Tribune gives thanks for a good year by offering a hearty Thanksgiving meal.

A slice of turkey …

… to the Rev. Matt Hundley of the Albert Lea Vineyard Church … to “Seussical” director Molly Wilken (call it Whoville roast beast) … to Loren Kaiser at Holiday Lanes … to Freeborn County Administrator John Kluever … to customer A-Best Sew & Vac … to neighborly neighbors Deb Hamberg and Larry Sarver … to Ahlahasa adviser Riley Worth … to Linda Evenson, librarian at the Freeborn County Historical Musuem … to Mayo One pilots … to art teachers …

Mashed potatoes with gravy …

… to little friends Jacob and Lauren Miller … to Brad Hegwood, sales manager at Motor Inn … to movie maestro Trevor Kerns … to champion Deric Moore of the Flying Lea Disc Golf Club … to researcher Kevin Savick … to good neighbors Todd and Nancy Leach … to media maven Jennifer Levisen at Albert Lea Medical Center … to Sonya Paulson at the Freeborn County Recorder’s Office …to little Autumn Love Hoffman …

Green bean casserole …

… to Kade Vershey, sales manager at Dave Syverson Auto Mall … to Lighthouse Event Center owners Merle and Celeste Krause … to Freeborn County Engineer Sue Miller … to Dennis Reiter … to dog-sitter Karizma Hamberg … to Sue Wangsness at Four Seasons Travel … to Cub Scout leaders Dan and Deb Schatz, “Do Your Best” … to smiley Brenda at Aurora Dental … to little Axel Christian Erickson … to Kari Ulrich …

A glass of chardonnay …

… to Jeff Elseth, owner of Green Lea Golf Course … to Nancy VanderWaerdt and her State Farm Insurance staff … to Ann Austin at the United Way of Freeborn County … to Addie Rust of Addie’s Floral … to Nick and Amy Kruse … to ALPD Chief Dwaine Winkels, who reminds all of us to drive safely this holiday … to friend Kristi Thompson … to Deb Koenigs and Kristine Maiers at Freeborn County District Court …

A side of stuffing …

… to Rhodette Groe of the Freeborn County Fair’s livestock auction … to volunteer cross country assistant coach Bryce Gaudian … to Beth Staser at Northbridge Mall … to sweetheart Bev Dougherty at Uptown Dental … to Front Street Kwik Trip employees … to dear friend Brian Skogheim … to Mary Nelson at the Elbow Room … to Dave and Kathy Sabinish … to American Legion Cmdr. Rex Stotts … to all benchwarmers … to Freeborn County Sheriff Mark Harig …

Some cranberry sauce …

… to little Graham Goskeson on Maurice Avenue … to United South Central supporter Kelly Hendrickson … to Rick Carlsen of R&D Body Shop … to friend Maddie Herrera … to Stephanie Richter at Home Solutions Midwest …to Connie Van Ryswyk of Bonnerup Funeral Service … to the Lakeview Elementary School Success Room … to Budget Blinds owner Bob Cotton … to Michelle Rothmeier at Hillcrest Cemetery … to Amber Yost at Lakeview Elementary School …

Homemade pumpkin pie …

…to Lowell Bruns and the staff at US Bank … to Albert Lea City Councilor Larry Anderson …to “Best Christmas Pageant Ever” director Gordy Handeland … to Loyal Leas of the United Methodist Church of Albert Lea … to football stat man Kendall Langseth … to Fourteen Foods, who already has all this food … to little Easton Allen Lunning … to Jennifer Nelson at the Inspection Department …

Leftovers …

… to Sam, a tabby on Meadow Lane … it’s Bacon! a rat terrier mix who romps near Willamor Road … to Scout, a grand Grand Avenue puggle … to Whitey, a Lab mix on 724th Avenue … to adopted kitty Lily of Columbus Avenue … to Lindsey, the golden bear of Bear Lake … to Max, a crazy Airedale on Fountain Street … to Molly, a talented tabby on Sixth Street … to spaniel Little Dog of Lincoln Avenue … to Snickers, a diva cat in Shoreland Heights … to Ezekiel, a cat on 200th Street … to Bella, a bulldog mix on Frank Hall Drive.