On Thanksgiving Day at the McBurney YMCA on W. 14th St., while diners on the basketball floor below were enjoying a free Thanksgiving dinner and packing on the calories, Larry Helenberg, a 29-year Y member, was running the calories off on the track, above. A staffer keeping count of the diners had clicked 350 when the photo below was taken. In the end, 597 people ate, with some having seconds, bringing the total to 1,000 meals served. Dishing out the dinners were 100 volunteers at the Fourth Annual Salvation Army/McBurney Thanksgiving Feast. Mealgoers also enjoyed music by a Salvation Army brass ensemble and received a free bag of toiletries. On Thanksgiving eve, Salvation Army volunteers distributed brown-bag dinners to homeless people on the streets of Lower Manhattan and fliers announcing the free Thanksgiving meal.
