The ovens are always firing at Dimitri’s Pizza in Contoocook. But had you swung by on Wednesday, you might not have seen any pizza.
Instead, the restaurant’s employees, in addition to serving their lunchtime customers grinders, salads – and of course pizza – were also preparing 120 meals worth of traditional Thanksgiving dinner. Those meals are headed to all corners of Hopkinton today, as well as a few to Hillsboro, Webster and even Concord.
Dimitri Tsihils, who runs Dimitri’s Pizza with his two siblings, Theohare Kapellkis and Yianni Tsihlis, noted while turkey and apple pie are not the norm at his restaurant, delivering the meals falls in line with his family’s traditions of always giving back to their community.
“It’s just the way we were raised,” Tsihils said. “My mother always gave back to her church and her community, and we want to do the same. I want my kids to grow up in an environment where people who need help can get it. Who knows, I might need help myself one day.”
The tradition started four years ago, when Tsihils was looking for a new way to help his community. His family has been in Hopkinton for over 20 years, and used to own Kathy’s Kitchen, now the Country Fare Diner, where they would host a pancake breakfast with the Hopkinton Lion’s Club. When the business was sold, Tsihils, along with family friends Tom and Mary Congoran, got the idea to deliver meals. He said they got the idea from the Windwill Family Restaurant, who has been delivering Thanksgiving meals since 1990.
“I get kind of bored on Thanksgiving,” he said. “ And I like to do things that help people. It made sense.”
At first, the Tsihils delivered the meals themselves, but it wasn’t long before Mary Congoran got the idea to enlist volunteers, Tsihils said. In fact, the operation wouldn’t exist without communal help: Tsihils said the turkeys and pies are all donations from locals, and the vegetables and potatoes all come from the Hopkinton Farmers Market. His friends, Tom and Brenda White, pitch in by donating dinner rolls and baked goods.
The meals will go to all sorts of people today, Tsihils said. In addition to the elderly, homebound or those who could not afford a Thanksgiving dinner this year, meals will be headed to the Hopkinton Fire and Hopkinton Police Department. Two years ago, when the area lost power due to a snowstorm, they were able to deliver to the Hopkinton Highway Department thanks to their equipment being fueled by propane. A meal will even be making its way to the Starbucks in Concord, where Tsihils likes to visit.
“The best part is giving back, and seeing the look on people’s face when they see us coming,” Tsihils said. “That’s what motivates us, how excited they get to see the food.”
(Caitlin Andrews can be reached at 369-3309, candrews@cmonitor.com, or on Twitter at @ActualCAndrews.)