A Garden full of thanks and giving

More than 700 attended the 16th annual Table of Friends Thanksgiving Dinner
hosted by the Garden Neighborhood Charities. City officials, including Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, were on hand to serve up all the fixings to the city’s homeless.

It’s not easy for a building that seats about 18,000 people to feel like a home, especially for Thanksgiving.

But for Long Island Shelter resident Tracy Smith, the TD Garden did OK.

“I think this is absolutely wonderful because people like me don’t really have a place to go on Thanksgiving. I’m just grateful, really grateful,” said Smith.

She was one of the nearly 800 people in need who were served a full Thanksgiving dinner Tuesday as part of the annual Table of Friends event.

The event, put on by Garden Neighborhood Charities with help from the Friends of Boston’s Homeless, featured prominent servers that included former Bruins players, Celtics President Wyc Grousbeck and city officials.

“It’s bittersweet,” said former Bruin Ken Hodge who has manned the turkey station for the event’s 16 years. “There’s a tremendous need for this. … The turnout, it speaks volumes.”

Also handing out turkey was Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis while Mayor Thomas Menino scooped out stuffing.

Being served by those officials was a “big honor,” Smith said.

“I think it’s wonderful.”