Piero’s dishes out turkey, happiness at charity dinner

By Pashtana Usufzy

Thursday, Nov. 27, 2014 | 6:53 p.m.

Families say grace, then laugh and hug before digging into the turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans and stuffing.

Little cups of cranberry sauce and big, red plastic cups filled with soda and water cover the tables.

Volunteers wheel carts packed with plates of pumpkin pie around the dimly lit dining rooms.

Piero’s Italian Cuisine is doing what it has done for 24 years, feeding families from underprivileged areas around the valley on Thanksgiving.

“The staff, everybody here that works for us, they all donate their day for this,” said Pat Rost, 74, the restaurant’s wine director. “It’s totally voluntary, but everyone volunteers.”

At the first Turkey Gobble dinner, owner Freddie Glusman invited 100 children to Piero’s for Thanksgiving dinner.

This year, organizers expected to serve about 1,200 guests, but they’d already hit the 1,350 mark about a half hour before the event wrapped up.

The children and families receive services from nonprofits, including After-School All-Stars Las Vegas, Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada and The Boys and Girls Clubs of Southern Nevada.

The Las Vegas restaurant, 355 Convention Center Drive, served up about 400 pounds of turkey, 1,100 pounds of potatoes, 2,000 rolls and 300 pies.

Dozens of volunteers welcomed the guests, served dinner and helped clean up.

Volunteers included Clark County Commissioner Steve Sisolak and former Las Vegas Mayor Ron Lurie.

Glusman’s son and fellow owner, 36-year-old Evan Glusman, brought his 5-year-old son and 7-year-old daughter to serve bread and drinks.

“It just means a lot,” he said. “I’m able to share it with my friends. I’m able to share it with my family.”

He said the restaurant wants the families to having a real, fine-dining Thanksgiving.

“It’s just nice having a home-cooked meal,” Evan Glusman said. “It’s nice to have somebody serve you.”

Jacob Quintanilla, 15, sat at a table with his mother, 39-year-old Graciela Zarrval, and 10-year-old brother, Yasha Zarrval.

He was taking a break from eating before he dove into his mashed potatoes.

“When she told me that we were invited here, I was like, ‘You’re lying,’” he said of his mother.

Piero’s funds most of the dinner, but the restaurant’s regular customers and other local businesses also donate money to help.

Erika Aguilar, 35, of After-School All-Stars said the organization has loved being part of the event.

Families whose children attend the organization’s after-school program asked about the dinner this year before they were invited.

“It may sound like it’s just a meal, but it’s more than that,” she said.

As the dining rooms cleared out, the children thanked their servers with high fives and waves.

“Thank you to the people here,” Quintanilla said as volunteers cleaned up.

Aguilar said the children who attend the dinner not only have the chance to eat and enjoy the holiday with their families, but they learn lessons about volunteering that they will carry with them.

“I’ve seen what it does for our students. I’ve seen what it does for our families,” she said. “This little thing goes a long way.”