SENIORS : Feasts for All : Many local groups serve Thanksgiving dinners for those who don’t wish to cook, or dine, alone.

It’s difficult to shop and cook for one person. On Thanksgiving, it is particularly hard. The traditional holiday meal takes hours to cook and usually there is too much food for one person to enjoy. Then there is the problem of trying to enjoy it alone.

If you’d rather not cook, and if you’d like to share the holiday with other single seniors, there are plenty of dining opportunities available Nov. 21-24.

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 21

Senior nutrition program Meals-on-Wheels will serve Thanksgiving dinners at several sites throughout the county to those 60 and older. The suggested donation per meal is $1.75 and $4 for younger guests.

VENTURA--The East Ventura Meal Center--Seventh-day Adventist Church, 6300 Telephone Road. (805) 658-6806. The Dining Center/Ventura, Senior Center, 420 E. Santa Clara St. (805) 652-7881.

OXNARD--Colonia Senior Center, 126-B Amelia Court. (805) 984-4632. Wilson Senior Center, 350 North C St. (805) 486-7079.

FILLMORE--Senior Housing Center, 533 Santa Clara Ave. (805) 524-3756.

CAMARILLO--Camarillo Senior Center, 1605 E. Burnley St. (805) 484- 8449.

THOUSAND OAKS--Goebel Senior Center, 110 S. Conejo School Road. (805) 497-9664.

MOORPARK--Moorpark Senior Center, 799 Moorpark Ave. (805) 529-4016.

OAKVIEW--Oakview Senior Center/The Golden Age, 395 Mahoney Ave. (805) 649-9441.

OJAI--HELP of Ojai Little House Senior Center, 111 W. Santa Ana St. (805) 646-0144.

SANTA PAULA--Santa Paula Senior Center, 530 Main St. (805) 933-4263.

SIMI VALLEY--Simi Valley Senior Center, 3900 Avenida Simi. (805) 526-9237.

PORT HUENEME--The Senior Recreation Center is closed for remodeling, but meals may be served in temporary facilities. For details call (805) 483-4367 or City Hall (805) 488-3625.

PIRU--Residents should call (805) 524-3756 in Fillmore.

Meals at the Wilson and Colonia senior centers in Oxnard will be served at 12:30 p.m. The remaining centers serve at noon. All centers require at least 48 hours advance notice. To guarantee a reservation, call by 1 p.m. Friday.

If you are a homebound participant of the Meals-On-Wheels Senior Nutrition Program, you can still receive a holiday meal at home. Call (805) 388-4323. Jewish Family Service will offer a noon presentation on the California Gold Rush followed by a catered luncheon for people age 55 and older. Fee is $3. Temple Beth Torah Fellowship Hall, 7620 Foothill Road, Ventura. Call by 2 p.m. Nov. 20 for reservations. (805) 659-5144.

THURSDAY, NOV. 22

Anyone is welcome to dine at St. Thomas Catholic Church Parish Hall, 130 W. Ojai Ave., Ojai between noon and 3 p.m. Call (805) 646-4338 for reservations.

The Sedona Restaurant, 951 S. Westlake Blvd., Westlake Village, will serve dinner from 12:30 to 5:30 p.m. to people in need. To obtain a free ticket, contact Catholic Charities (805) 496-1113, Lutheran Social Services (805) 497-6207, or the restaurant (805) 373-5900.

Thousand Oaks Elks Lodge No. 2477 will sponsor a dinner for Elk widowers, widows of Elks, bachelor members and guests at 158 Conejo School Road. A social hour at 2 p.m. will be followed by dinner at 4. Call by Saturday for reservations, (805) 495-3369, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Between 3 and 11 p.m. call (805) 496-4550.

HELP of Ojai’s Meals-On-Wheels will deliver a food basket to ill and disabled housebound people of any age. Donation is $3 or $3.25 for meal and evening snack. Call by 5 p.m. Tuesday. (805) 646-5122.

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. Call (805) 496-0222.

FRIDAY, NOV. 23

The Moose Lodge in Ventura will sponsor a free Thanksgiving dinner at 3:30 p.m. for anyone 60 and older. Call the Senior Recreation Center, 420 E. Santa Clara St. in Ventura, to sign up for dinner and transportation from the center at 3 p.m. (805) 648-2829.

SATURDAY, NOV. 24

Seniors can register for a free Thanksgiving meal sponsored by the Rotary Club at 11:30 a.m. Call the Senior Recreation Center (805) 648-2829.

COPING WITH HOLIDAY BLUES:

Today, 7-9 p.m., the Westlake Resource Center, 960-2 Westlake Blvd., Westlake Village, will present “Surviving Holiday Meals: Our Individual and Family Issues,” a free, educational seminar focusing on coping skills, eating disorders and family issues during the holiday season. Reservations required. Open to the public. For information about free classes or a free consultation, call (805) 496-2828 or (800) 677-9989. Crisis Intervention Team--24 hours, seven days a week (800) 843-4768 or (818) 348-0500.

Next week: Holiday gifts for grandchildren.