Savory roasted turkey breast, sweet potato souffle topped with marshmallows, spiced pumpkin pie, creamy banana pudding, collard greens, fluffy whipped potatoes, and orange glazed ham. These are the mouthwatering dishes that any Southerner would anticipate gracing their Thanksgiving table.
However, this is not your average Thanksgiving feast. This is the menu for a remarkable gathering on Hilton Head Island for more than 1,500 people from all walks of life.
Behind the scenes, a dedicated team of more than 300 volunteers will be working tirelessly to create a Thanksgiving meal that fosters a deep sense of community, uniting neighbors and new residents, across all ages, in a festive atmosphere. This is the annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner at Hudson’s Seafood on the Docks, of which, as with most Lowcountry stories worth telling, the backstory is filled with fascinating details.
In 1998, The Island Packet newspaper published an article that focused on loneliness and feelings of isolation that some residents experienced during the Thanksgiving holiday. The article caught the eye of Allan and Gloria LaCoe, co-founders of the Community Thanksgiving with their friend Brian J. Carmines, owner of Hudson’s Seafood House on the Docks.
“That article caught our attention,” Gloria said. “The combination of an aging population, plus the high number of second homeowners and vacationers, made large family gatherings difficult for various reasons. Many people were left alone on Thanksgiving.”
The LaCoes felt compelled to do something about the situation and immediately began to create a plan. They collaborated with Carmines, who magnanimously offered up his restaurant to host the dinner – Hudson’s was typically closed on Thanksgiving Day and the space was available.
General Manager of Hudson’s, Andrew Carmines, with his two daughters Alice and Millie.
The team grew from there. St. Andrew By-The-Sea Methodist Church stepped up to provide funding. Betsy Doughtie, then-director of the Deep Well Project, and Jackie Johnson also collaborated on the herculean effort.
“After months of hard work, we became extremely apprehensive about whether anyone would show up,” Gloria LaCoe recalled. To their relief and astonishment, when the doors opened that morning in 1999, they were grateful to see a long line of attendees. The inaugural Community Thanksgiving served more than 800 people.
What began as a small idea has turned into a cherished Hilton Head Island tradition.
The spirit of inclusivity is at the heart of the Community Thanksgiving origin story. This event was born from a desire to create connections within the community, and its beauty lies in the various reasons people are drawn to it. Andrew Carmines, Brian’s son and general manager of Hudson’s, expressed warm and heartfelt sentiments regarding the myriad of reasons people attend the dinner.
Guests at last year’s Thanksgiving Dinner at Hudson’s Seafood House on the Docks.
Carmines shared encounters with recently widowed spouses who join the event to avoid spending Thanksgiving alone. He also mentioned newcomers to Hilton Head Island, eager to connect with others.
Even those who plan to make dinner, but mess up the main attraction, are welcome. “If you happen to burn your turkey, don’t worry – just come on down,” Carmines said.
Whether it’s tourists seeking a holiday experience away from their families, individuals who do not have the means for a Thanksgiving meal, those feeling isolated, or anyone else wishing to be a part of a community celebration, what truly matters is the common goal of gathering to share a meal with neighbors.
Served family style, the meal is designed to create a warm, inviting, and respectful environment. Each table includes a volunteer host or hostess who is invited to lead a blessing, similar to a traditional Thanksgiving dinner held in a family home.
While Hudson’s is renowned for its seafood, on this day, the kitchen transforms into preparing what typical families cook on Thanksgiving, complete with all the traditional dishes.
Hilton Head Island Mayor Alan Perry and Gloria LaCoe.
“Please don’t request shrimp or oysters,” LaCoe joked, emphasizing that the Hudson’s team, including chefs and cooks, creatively craft the perfect menu, year after year.
The attention to detail in meal preparation is impressive. Planning meetings begin in late August, with meal preparation beginning the week prior to Thanksgiving. Carmines said that after more than two decades of serving this meal to thousands of guests, they have fine-tuned their process to ensure the food is delicious while keeping costs manageable.
For instance, “We used to have a lot of dark meat leftovers, so a few years back we switched to bone-in turkey breasts and now we cook around 92, along with 12 whole turkeys, to create in-house stocks and stuffing,” Carmines said.
One standout dish is Miss Bessie’s Braised Ham Hock Collards. Lacoe recalled a year when food prices increased, causing them to reevaluate the menu to cut costs. The decision was made to replace pricy green beans with collards, a change that initially made the founders nervous. Today, the collards are praised as one of the most popular sides.
Beyond community, there is another important component to the Community Thanksgiving dinner and that is one of giving back. Three organizations benefit from this event: The Deep Well Project, Second Helpings, and Bluffton Self Help. These nonprofits play a vital role in the Hilton Head and Bluffton areas throughout the year.
“Our community is incredibly generous, and it never ceases to amaze me,” LaCoe said. “People don’t realize that, while we are an affluent community, there are many unmet needs that often go unnoticed.”
Carmines underscores the significance of supporting these organizations. “Although the Thanksgiving dinner is free, we encourage attendees who have the ability to do so, to contribute monetary donations to our benefactors,” he said.
Each nonprofit will have a booth in the parking lot for guests to visit during the event. The atmosphere will be festive, with live music and activities for the whole family. This opportunity for attendees to give back after enjoying a free meal is what drives this event forward – a continuous cycle of generosity to improve the community.
Gloria and Allan Lacoe are proud of their contribution to the community through the Thanksgiving dinner. As co-founders and long-standing pillars of this gathering, this year marks a bittersweet transition, as they prepare to pass along the torch of responsibility.
“I am confident and have worked extremely closely with our successors and have collaborated with them closely,” Gloria LaCoe said. “But it is time.” The sparkle in her eye as she speaks of her departure tells a different story. While they might be stepping back, the LaCoes will never truly be absent from this event.
Matt Harris carves up a turkey in the kitchen at Hudson’s Seafood House on the Docks.
Carmines has a long history with the LaCoes and can’t help but feel nostalgic. “For me, it’s sad,” he said. “I know the new group coming in will be amazing, but I started working on this event in 2006 and it’s always been Allan and Gloria.”
The LaCoes, the Carmines family, and all the founding committee members have deep bonds, having worked together to create what has truly become a family affair.
As the 25th anniversary approaches, it’s hard not to look back at the journey. The tales of generosity, calamity, and even mishaps are many. Much like the familiar stories shared at Thanksgiving gatherings, a few of these stories are often regaled and retold every year.
LaCoe fondly remembers a time when there were no age restrictions for volunteers, creating a flurry of chaos as children “helped” serve dinner. Though their energy was adorable, little ones darting around the platters of turkey was a bit much. “It became clear we needed to set a minimum volunteer age of 10,” she said.
Then, there was the year when Santa showed up with presents, and the aftermath of wrapping paper and the cleanup was worse than the mechanics of the meal itself. Now, Santa attends with candy canes to give out to the children.
For Carmines, who grew up in and around Hudson’s, the wild tales center on how he was unexpectedly swept into the mayhem during a visit from college. He arrived with friends, only to walk into the kitchen that was a madhouse. He soon realized he was being initiated into Thanksgiving preparations when staff sent him on a mad dash to the grocery store to “buy all the stuffing they had!”
The Community Thanksgiving dinner at Hudson’s is one of Hilton Head Island’s most inspiring traditions. Join the Hilton Head Island community and be part of this heartwarming legacy.
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