Winsted eatery serves Thanksgiving to police

WINSTED — For the fourth year running, a Winsted restaurant is providing Thanksgiving meals to Winchester police officers who are on duty during the holiday shift this week.

Kelly’s Kitchen, 438 Main St., has prepared a feast for the local police force every Thanksgiving since the restaurant opened in December 2005. Restaurant owner and baker Kelly McCarthy, who runs the restaurant with her  husband and head chef, Bob, said the restaurant provides the Thanksgiving meal as a way of giving back to the police.

“These guys work like crazy in our town,� McCarthy said. “They do so much for us on Main Street and they’re working on Thanksgiving, away from their families. They deserve to have someone care.�

McCarthy said Kelly’s Kitchen is active in many community affairs, including hosting campaign events for different political parties and volunteering with the Friends of Main Street organization to improve the downtown business community.

Winchester Police Chief Nicholas Guerriero said his officers are always thankful for the hot meal Kelly’s provides, including a turkey with all the trimmings, sausage stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, vegetables, cheesecake and pumpkin pie. From Thanksgiving eve through Friday morning, there are between 15 and 20 people who come in and out of police headquarters to work, so Kelly’s provides enough food for all of them.

“It’s a great gesture,� Guerriero said. “She’s been doing it for years and we greatly appreciate the time and expense and support she shows us.� The chief noted that the McCarthys repeat the act of kindness each Christmas.

“The police get a lot of flak for getting overtime, but we’re thankful that they’re getting the overtime,� McCarthy said. “We appreciate what they do, and we’ll continue doing this as long as we’re privileged to be in town.�

On Christmas day, Kelly’s Kitchen will be open to serve meals to disadvantaged individuals and families in town, as Winsted’s Open Door Soup Kitchen will be closed for the day. McCarthy said the soup kitchen’s Helen Nay will provide some of the food to be cooked that day and that “a ridiculous number of volunteers� have expressed an interest in helping serve food.

“We also are collecting cash donations, even if it’s a dollar,� McCarthy said. “Any money left over will go to the Open Door Soup Kitchen.�

For more information, call Kelly’s Kitchen at 860-738-9828.