Meal Offerings : Volunteers make it possible for many of the county’s elderly and homebound to enjoy the bounty of Thanksgiving.

Every year hundreds of volunteers, usually seniors themselves, donate time and energy to ensure that the elderly and homebound also enjoy Thanksgiving. Many help at congregate meal sites throughout the county. Some prepare food baskets. And others furnish home delivery of the season’s bounty.

The following is a list of free or low-cost Thanksgiving dining opportunities for seniors:

SATURDAY, NOV. 21: The Men’s Club of St. Paschal Baylon Catholic Church, 155 E. Janss Road in Thousand Oaks, can deliver food baskets and vouchers for turkeys to some needy families and elderly in the community. For details, call 497-7337.

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 25: If you are a homebound participant in the Meals-On-Wheels Senior Nutrition Program, you can receive a holiday meal at home. Call 388-4323. Also, traditional Thanksgiving dinners will be served at several sites throughout the county to anyone age 60 and older. The suggested donation per meal is $1.75 and $4 for younger guests.

Meals at the Wilson and Colonia senior centers in Oxnard will be served at 12:30 p.m. The Senior Recreation Center in Port Hueneme and the Goebel Senior Adult Center in Thousand Oaks will serve meals beginning at 11:30 a.m. The remaining centers will serve at noon. All centers require at least 48 hours advance notice. Seniors who qualify for home delivery and those who wish to visit a meal site should make reservations by 10:30 a.m. Friday, Nov. 20, by calling the following sites:

* SATICOY--The East Ventura Meal Center at the Saticoy Community Center, 11168 Violeta St., 647-9578.

* VENTURA--The Ventura Avenue Center, 550 N. Ventura Ave., 653-5148.

* OXNARD--The Colonia Senior Center, 126 B Amelia Court; Wilson Senior Center, 350 North C St. 486-7079.

* FILLMORE--The Fillmore Senior Center, 533 Santa Clara St., 524-3756.

* CAMARILLO--The Camarillo Senior Center, 1605 E. Burnley St., 484-8449.

* THOUSAND OAKS--Goebel Senior Adult Center, 1385 E. Janss Road, 497-1639.

* MOORPARK--The Moorpark Senior Center, 799 Moorpark Ave., 529-4016.

* OAKVIEW--The Oakview Senior Center nutrition site has been closed. Residents of Oakview can dine at the Ventura Seniors Center, 550 N. Ventura Ave., Ventura, 653-5148, or at Ojai’s “Little House,” listed below.

* OJAI--HELP of OJAI “Little House” Senior Center, 111 W. Santa Ana St., 646-0144.

* SANTA PAULA--The Santa Paula Senior Center, 530 Main St., 933-4263.

* SIMI VALLEY--The Simi Valley Senior Center, 3900 Avenida Simi, 526-9237.

* PORT HUENEME--The Port Hueneme Senior Recreation Center, 550 Park Ave., 487-4367.

* PIRU--Residents should call 524-3756 in Fillmore.

THURSDAY, NOV. 26: The Ventura County Area Agency on Aging will work with local senior nutrition programs and service groups to prepare and deliver Thanksgiving meals to homebound seniors countywide. Each volunteer will only deliver two or three meals to enable them to also spend time with the recipients on Thanksgiving Day. To request a delivery, call 652-7560 by 5 p.m. Nov. 23.

* Anyone is welcome to dine at the St. Thomas Catholic Church Parish Hall, 130 W. Ojai Ave., Ojai between noon and 3 p.m. The church will deliver free of charge a Thanksgiving meal to anyone who is homebound. For dining hall reservations or home delivery, call 646-44338

* Furr’s Cafeteria at 1301 W. Channel Islands Blvd. in Oxnard plans a traditional “all-you-can-eat” turkey dinner from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Senior discount cards valid for one year are available for one dollar to seniors age 55 and older. The card provides a 10% discount on any “all-you-can-eat” meal offers. Cost for adults is $7.99, and $3.99 for children age 12 and younger. Beverages are not included. No reservations required. For details, call 483-0187.

* HELP of Ojai’s Meals-On-Wheels will deliver a prepared traditional Thanksgiving dinner to ill or disabled homebound people of any age. Donation is $3, or $3.25 for meal and evening snack. Call by noon Nov. 25, 646-5122.

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It is not too late for seniors age 60 and older with a limited income to apply for membership in the Brown Bag grocery program sponsored by Food Share Inc., a nonprofit food bank for the county. The organization provides free groceries to 2,300 seniors at 25 weekly pickup sites countywide. But Executive Director Jewel Pedi said the food bank needs as many donated canned goods as possible this year to provide seniors with a Thanksgiving meal. To apply to the program or to make a donation, call 983-7100.