BELLEVUE, Neb. (KMTV) — A metro restaurant owner wants to make this Thanksgiving a special one for people who live in Olde Towne Bellevue.
The owner is not only working the holiday, but he's also opening up his entire restaurant to anyone who wants a home-cooked meal. 3 News Now Anchor Serese Cole met him at the cafe to find out what's behind his Thanksgiving feast.
It's the breakfast rush at The Light House Cafe in Olde Towne Bellevue.
Owner and chef Tracey Colgrove just opened the place three weeks ago and he isn't wasting any time being a good neighbor.
"It's one of the highest poverty rates in Sarpy County if not the highest I believe, and so we just wanted to love on people and just to be able to give back to the community and just serve the community. The underprivileged, the underserved and people who are in need," Colgrove explained.
He'll do that by doing what he does best — cooking up a good meal.
This Thanksgiving, anyone in the Olde Towne Bellevue community who doesn't have a place to go is welcome at his restaurant.
"Just to let them know that they're not forgotten and that they have meaning in their life and that they can have community and fellowship and just have people that come around like family," he said.
His game plan is to overprepare for the 500 guests he's expecting and no reservations are required.
"You just need to show up. It's from 1:30 to 4:00, and if the lines are long then we'll just stick around. We will have some to-go boxes if people can't stay or there's no room and then we can send them off with a hot meal," he smiled.
Because for this chef, kindness is a gift that keeps on giving.
"There were many people over the course of my life who were just kind and helped me out. So, I want to sow back into that with no expectations of anything back, but just to meet people and love on them, where they are," Colgrove shared.
The Old Town Bellevue Thanksgiving dinner is on Thanksgiving at The Light House Cafe and Coffee on 119 West Mission Road. Dinner will be served from 1:30 to 4:00 p.m.
Tracey's generosity is spreading in Old Towne. Now he's receiving donations from other people in the community who just want to help.
One person offered to smoke ten turkeys for the Thanksgiving feast. A waitress at the cafe says not only is she looking forward to Thursday, but so are some of her family members and they are volunteering their help.
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