I gave 65-year-old Larry Schell a lift home Thursday from Covenant United Methodist Church, where he'd just finished a Thanksgiving dinner.

Schell has had seven strokes, and he struggles to walk because of an injured left leg that's secured by a plastic brace he taps with his crutch for emphasis.

"I'm not much of a talker," Schell said, as he took a final draw on an off-brand cigarette and eased his way into the Camry.

Schell, who lives on Social Security and rents a tiny row home, labored for an hour to walk four blocks to Covenant UMC, at 110 N. Mulberry St., where about 500 meals were served Thursday.

"I had to take plenty of rest stops," he said.

Despite not having his regular electric wheelchair — he's having problems charging the chair's battery — Schell arrived early enough to be among the first seating of 158 people at noon.

After eating, he wove his way through a crowd of about 70 men and women of various ages, as well as some children, in a line stretching into the church's parking lot.

"Delicious," Schell exclaimed. "I would have eaten more, but I'm too full."

The overflow crowd was expected, the Rev. Larry Leister said.

"With the uncertain economic times, we prepared for more," Leister said.

He said the church served about 100 more dinners this year than it did last year.

Covenant UMC is one of a dozen churches or organizations in Lancaster County that anticipated larger crowds this year at their traditional free Thanksgiving feasts.

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Maria Schaszberger of the Water Street Rescue Mission said the organization had served 400 Thanksgiving meals, also up about 100 from last year.

She said the number is consistent with what Water Street has seen at the mission this year.

"We've seen a 30 percent increase for community meals and a 60 percent increase for grocery assistance."

St. Stephen United Church of Christ, 249 E. Main St., New Holland, said the church would feed about 250 people, up by about 50 guests from last year.

Others organizations serving Thanksgiving meals Thursday included Denver Recreation Center, hosted by Cocalico-area churches; First Church of God, Elizabethtown; Lititz United Methodist Church; Pioneer Fire Hall, Ephrata; St. Mark's United Methodist Church, Mount Joy; St. Paul's United Methodist Church; and St. Philip the Apostle Roman Catholic Church.

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Greg Tarvas of Lancaster nodded and smiled between refrains of "Thank you, all" as he left the Covenant UMC dining room. Tarvas, a landscaper, moved to Lancaster two years ago, but this was his first trip to the Thanksgiving meal.

"What a nice thing. There are so many people hurting these days," Tarvas said. "There are all types of people in there, and the main thing is this church is helping people when they need help."

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While the number of guests has grown, so has the number of volunteers at Covenant UMC. "We had to turn volunteers away," Leister said. "They come from our church and others and from all over."

In all, Covenant had 65 volunteers, who began preparing the food Monday, meal coordinator Michelle Sultan said. Forty-five volunteers helped serve Thursday.

Sultan said that despite tough economic times Covenant UMC members also boosted their food donations this year.

"Today we'll serve 33 turkeys that are between 15 and 20 pounds each, 90 bags of stuffing and a whole lot of peas," she said. "Peas were on special this year."

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Art Flory, an unemployed single father from Lancaster, waited in line Thursday at Covenant UMC with his teenage son. He has been to the Thanksgiving dinner in the past, but he noticed something different this time around.

"There are more kids here this year," Flory said. "I don't know what that means, but I can't think it's a good thing."

Leister said Covenant UMC has sponsored the annual Thanksgiving dinner for about 20 years. He said it's part of the church's "mission to serve the community."

"This is the way to do that, particularly at a time when people are often alone," Leister said. "This is a kind of a place to be with extended family, if you will."

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On the ride to his home, Schell said he's divorced and his two sons don't come around any more. As he got out of the car, he thanked me.

"My doctor's going to be mad," Schell said, "but I think I'll have a little rum and Coke today. After all, it's Thanksgiving, right?"

E-mail: pburns@lnpnews.com