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1. Maurine Allen: “I am so blessed to have good health and family.”
2. Don Coker: “What I am thankful for this year? Certainly not our stupidly ridiculous political picture!! But I digress. Of course, I am always thankful that my bride of 44 years is still at my side and that we are still in relatively good health and that I made it to 70 this year. I am always thankful for my six children and theirs. I am also thankful for dear long-time, good friends who have helped me get to this point, and you all know who you are. So, I guess there are no great surprises in my area of thanks, but sometimes, stating the obvious is a good thing.”
3. Guy Williams: “I am so grateful for my psychic abilities and being able to see and foretell the future.”
4. Kirsten Barnes: "I am most thankful for the support of my family and friends, especially during the passing of my father, the Rev. Clarence R. Barnes. I am thankful that I am gainfully employed and work for and with people I respect. I am thankful for my health and my ability to remain positive and optimistic no matter what the situation. I am thankful for my faith and God's ability to continually make a way out of no way for me."
5. Edmund Singleton: “I’m thankful for being alive, thankful for families, friends, and neighbors.  I’m thankful to have my health and my strength; thankful I’m able to put food on my table. I’m thankful I’m able to help others. I’m so thankful because God helped me and I’m helping others. I’m just very grateful and thankful for all I’ve been through and all I’m going through. I am just so thankful. I give God the glory and the praise. I’m just so thankful.”
6. Sandra Okamoto: “I always say I’m a lucky girl. I have family and friends around me, always checking up on me. I have a brother who is able to be the handyman I need. He’s always available. His wife, Cheryl, is my lifesaver – not once, but twice. I had a heart attack in 2012. A month later, I was at their house when I suddenly felt bad. She insisted on taking me to the ER. It turned out I had an inflammation around my heart and was kept overnight for observation. Two years ago, I experienced nausea, and I had uncontrollable shivers. Again, she insisted on taking me to the ER. I had appendicitis! I had gone into septic shock. She truly saved my life. And she’ll have my undying gratitude. My sisters Dorothy and Patty, even though they are younger, treat me like I’m the village idiot. At the same time, they are generous and will fight anyone who makes fun of me. It’s OK if they do, but no one else can. I have the best group of friends anyone can have. Most are younger than me, but for some reason, we click. And then there are my “oldest” friends. One, an acquaintance from high school, reconnected one night at RiverCenter for the Performing Arts more than a dozen years ago after not seeing each other in decades. We text or call each other every day. My best friend in college and I reconnected this summer. Again, we text or call each other daily. I’ve learned it doesn’t matter if you haven’t seen each other in decades. You can reach out and the years disappear. A recent reunion of Columbus Ledger-Enquirer colleagues was an amazing afternoon. I saw people I have not seen in many, many years. It was so much fun. I am thankful for all the people in my life. Ones I see frequently, and the ones not so frequently. The only thing that puts a pall over my love for family and friends is the uncertainty we as a country is facing. But as they say, this too will pass. I certainly hope so. In any event, I hope everyone has a wonderful time with their family and friends this Thanksgiving. Remember, most of us really have everything to be grateful for.”
7. Agnes Averett: “The things that I am thankful for are: family and friends; and satisfactory physical and mental health. Having to work through and recuperate from a bone break earlier this year, it got my attention and made me become more aware of how important it is to be careful and cautious and try to preserve one’s health. Also, while recovering from my own situation I witnessed how everyone needs support from family and friends at one time or another. I thank God that I have both, a portion of good health and loving family members and friends.”
8. Sonya Boyd: “This Thanksgiving my husband Gerald and I will be without our children and grandchildren. They will be with other relatives. That is alright as we have one another. We grew up in the same town, attended the same high school and college and have been married for 58 years. We raised two daughters and had five grandchildren. We are both retired educators, who enjoyed working with young people, and my husband also spent more than 21 years in the Navy.  I am grateful to him for his perseverance and faithfulness. I am grateful for our family and for dear friends. I am grateful for my cousins. They are all that remain of the family that I grew up with. I am grateful for the way that I was raised. My dear mother stressed a personal relationship with God. I am grateful for my faith and the church that has nourished it — St Thomas Episcopal where all are welcome. I am grateful to live where we enjoy freedom — the freedom to worship openly, to speak, to read, to vote. There is much more that I am grateful for, but time and space are limited so I will wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving.”
9. Linda Gunn: “I am thankful this Thanksgiving that even with my health challenges I have been able to assist other with clothes, food, personal care and home visits with good conversations.”