Piero’s hosts hundreds of kids, and families for traditional Thanksgiving meal
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The day was meant to put smiles on faces and fill tummies and that’s exactly what it did for hundreds of children who were treated to a Thanksgiving meal at a Las Vegas restaurant known for its fine dining.
Peiro’s Italian Cuisine held its 29th Annual Turkey Gobble on Thursday in what has become a family tradition.
“We’re blessed to be in the restaurant business our whole lives. A lot of kids, a lot of people don’t get a great Thanksgiving dinner, much less at a fine dining restaurant,” Evan Glusman said.
Glusman and his father Freddie run the restaurant, which is often visited by celebrities.
In Piero’s kitchen on Thanksgiving Day was where the magic was happening. There were mashed potatoes being scooped onto plates and volunteers making sure every plate was full with greens, stuffing, and slices of turkey.
An army of volunteers then placed the food on carts and served them to the dozens sitting inside the dining room.
More than 500 people signed up for a free meal. They were from the Boys and Girls Club of Southern Nevada, Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada, Youth Charities of Southern Nevada, and the Patrick Kelley Youth Foundation.
Some of the volunteers were Glusman’s kids.
“It’s a fun thing I like to do. It makes me feel good, and I know it makes the people that we’re helping feel good,” Stella Glusman, 16, said.
Eleven-year-old Luke Glusman has been helping since he was old enough to walk.
“[Thanksgiving] means giving back to the less fortunate that don’t have a place to eat and, like, can’t buy all the food that they need for Thanksgiving,” he said.
A few volunteers told 8 News Now helping has changed their meaning of Thanksgiving.
“Everyone my age wants more and more and more. But I just want whatever I need, and all these people do as well. So whatever you don’t need, whatever you want, give back to the other people,” Logan Lefkowitz, 15, said.
Evan Glusman hopes to pass the baton to his kids and keep this event going for another 29 years.
“I remember when the town was like 200,000 people. You know, it’s almost 3 million now, and it’s just you know, it’s a great community,” he said.
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