The kitchen opened its doors for the first time 23 years ago on Thanksgiving Day.

That first year, 17 meals were served. On Thursday about 700 people were expected.

Cooking began Tuesday, said Ray Severn, volunteer chair of Martha’s Kitchen and Shelter board. The cookers, set up in back of the shelter kitchen, were going non-stop to get 60 turkeys ready.

“We don’t buy any of the food,” Severn said. “We just eat whatever is donated and have for 23 years.”

The food comes from businesses, service clubs, churches and individuals.

“We had someone walk in a couple of minutes ago with two frozen turkeys,” he said.

The Rev. Al Newby, former pastor of Seaton Brethren Church, was on hand to give the blessing before the meal.

Newby said he occasionally dropped off doughnuts and other items at Martha’s Kitchen for a number of years.

Virginia and James Martin of Temple came to Martha’s Kitchen for their Thanksgiving meal on Thursday to be around other people.

“We don’t have family here, so it’s nice to be in the company of others on Thanksgiving,” Mrs. Martin said. “It makes you feel a little better.”

Her husband, quieted by a stroke, was content to eat his turkey and dressing.

Sitting across from the Martins, Mary Murphy was enjoying her meal.

Murphy, a resident of the Rose Garden for three years, said the people she lived with were away for the day visiting family, so she decided to eat her Thanksgiving Day meal at Martha’s Kitchen.

Martha’s Kitchen’s only employee is the executive director - the rest are volunteers.

Timothy Holts, the head cook, was standing over the stove, stirring gravy.

“It would be hard to do all of this without him,” Severn said of Holts.

A resident of Martha’s Kitchen Shelter for three years, Holts said Thursday’s menu consisted of turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, stuffing, green beans, fruit salad, tossed salad, cake, pies and cookies.

Before he joined the Army, Holts said he went to school in Arkansas to be trained as a cook. He continued in that profession while in the military.

“I’m used to cooking for a lot of people,” he said.

Martha’s Kitchen and Shelter, Holts said, is a good place for people to be while trying to get their lives back in order.

Willie Billups volunteers at the kitchen whenever he has a break from his regular job striping parking lots.

He’s been a volunteer cook at the shelter for 11 years.

As he opened up numerous cans of green beans, Billups lamented the sad shape of the kitchen’s can opener.

“We really need a new one,” he said. “This can opener has been around for a long time.”

The community, Billups said, has been good about providing Martha’s Kitchen with the items it needs.

“They’ve been very generous,” he said. “There are some good people around here.”