Commerce Chenango held a Thanksgiving Luncheon and fundraiser on Monday, November 18 to thank Commerce members for their support and give back to the Chenango County community. (Photo by Sarah Genter)

NORWICH — Commerce Chenango held a Thanksgiving Luncheon and fundraiser on Monday, November 18 at the St. Bartholomew's Parish Hall in Norwich as a way to thank their members and give back to the community.

Commerce Chenango members enjoyed a free lunch provided by Dickey's Barbecue and served by Norwich Community Kitchen volunteers, as well as music performed by the Norwich High School Music Department.

Attendees also brought food items to be donated to local food pantries.

"The whole purpose of it is for us to give thanks that we have such a great community here. We have a wonderful place for the majority of our members to live and work, and we should come together and celebrate that, and then take a minute to say, ‘hey, there's other people that aren't quite as fortunate, so how do we give back to them?’ It’s what makes us a great community," said Commerce Chenango President and CEO Sal Testani.

Food pantries who will receive donations from the fundraiser include Our Daily Bread at the Methodist Church in Guilford, the Earlville Food Cupboard, the New Berlin/Unadilla Food Pantry, Our Daily Bread Food Closet in at the Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Norwich, God’s Bread For Families in Smyrna, the McDonough Food Pantry, the Berean Bible Church in Greene, and St. Malachy’s Food Pantry in Sherburne.