October may seem like an odd time to host a Thanksgiving dinner, but the guests at Yankee Candle on Sunday evening didn’t seem to mind.
On Oct. 27, 100 U.S. Marines gathered at the Yankee Candle store in Williamsburg for a home-cooked meal and the chance to send their love home for the holidays.
Yankee Candle hosted the dinner to honor the Marine Corps Security Force Regiment, II, Marine Expeditionary Force, providing a Thanksgiving dinner for those who won’t be able to be home for the actual holiday Nov. 28. The event began after the store closed, and was closed to the public and all press except WYDaily.
The dinner coincides with the new limited edition Thanksgiving Dinner fragrance collection. For every large jar or tumbler candle sold in the three scents through Oct. 31 (Cranberry Sauce, Sweet Potato Pie, and Turkey with Stuffing), Yankee Candle will donate $1 to the USO.
The donation will support the Holiday Box program, which makes seasonally themed care packages to send to military personnel stationed overseas.
Karen M. Woods, director of public relations for Yankee Candle, said it was the spirit of Thanksgiving that inspired the initiatives.
“We thought, wouldn’t it be great to do something to give back?” she said.
Yankee Candle is no stranger to supporting the troops, Woods said. One of the pillars of the company’s vision statement is to support and provide comfort to military members and their families.
The company also offers a military discount in store and online, responds to individual requests from service men and women for Yankee Candle products, supports events with donated gift baskets and distributes post cards filled out by customers, thanking soldiers for their service.
“When we are passionate about something, we really look for ways to support that,” Woods said.
It was Terry Banez, director of operations at the Yankee Candle Village and Flagship Store in Williamsburg, who brought that zeal for giving to the community here in the Historic Triangle. She met with local commanding officers to plan and put on Sunday’s event.
“We wanted to something locally that could touch the Marines,” she said.
Banez said that while this is the first year that the dinner has happened, it came together very quickly because of the excitement to support the U.S. Marine Corps.
Twenty service men and women from the MCSFR Alpha Fast, MCSFR Bravo Fast, MCSFR Charlie Fast, MCSFR Training Company and MCSFR Headquarters and Service battalions arrived at the store at 6 p.m. Friday, escorted by their commanding officers.
Rocco’s Smokehouse Grill of Williamsburg provided the dinner. Served by candlelight, the meal included turkey, ham, stuffing, mashed potatoes, rolls, green beans and all the standards of a Thanksgiving feast.
Dessert was sweet potato pie and a cake with the Marine logo, courtesy of Diane Thompson.
“It’s a Yankee Candle event, but we really have the support of Williamsburg,” Banez said.
Yankee Candle gave a gift to all Marines in attendance, but the more important present was the one they didn’t take away that evening.
Each Marine had the opportunity to pick out a fragrance that held personal meaning and send it home to a loved one, along with a handwritten notecard and a photograph taken during the evening.
Helen’s Place Photography of Williamsburg was on hand, capturing professional images of the Marines.
Woods hoped this would be a nice surprise for families who were missing someone special during the holiday season.
“We’ve allowed them to send a piece of them home with Yankee Candle,” she said.
If the smell of apple pie makes a Marine think of his mom, Woods said, he can send it home to her in the form of a large jar candle.
Hope Margala Klein explained how important fragrance can be in building a feeling of belonging, and in embodying the holiday mood. Klein is the executive vice president of brand, innovation and merchandising for Yankee Candle.
The Turkey with Stuffing scent is a bit of a novelty, she admitted. It’s “not a very traditional scent, but one that conveys the spirit of the seasons.”
Five Yankee Candle executives were present at Sunday’s dinner, two of whom are former Marines, along with local dignitaries.
Jack Tuttle, Williamsburg City Manager, called the event a “great thing” and said the town is fortunate to have a Yankee Candle flagship store. He’s seen similar occasions, but none quite like this.
“This is the first time that I know of an event for young Marines stationed in the area.”
Brad Wolanksy, Yankee Candle’s president of consumer marketing and chief marketing officer, was happy to be a part of such a special night.
“This particular event really feels right for this area,” he said. “We really enjoy any opportunity we can do with our community.”
Wolansky said the company enjoys doing “reach-out events” and anything in support of the troops.
Klein agreed with that sentiment, and said Yankee Candle receives many letters from military members and their families, looking for a familiar fragrance. She said they strive to meet these needs, and send flameless air fresheners to places where candles are not allowed.
“We want to give them that special feeling of home, even if they’re living in a tent,” she said.
