The Utah Statesman

Issue date: 11/19/07 Section: Features

For about 20 years, Angie's Restaurant in Logan has been giving locals a place where they can eat a traditional turkey dinner with all the trimmings on Thanksgiving Day.

Owner Saboor Fahely, an immigrant from Afghanistan, said he moved to Logan 30 years ago as a college student and graduated feom USU. He said he started working at Angie's as a dishwasher and slowly moved up to a cook and into management.

"Coming here as an immigrant with frankly nothing and to be able to make a business, raise my family and live in this country are just some of the huge reasons to give back to this community that has taken care of my family all these years," he said.

To give back to the valley, Fahely said Angie's opens its doors once a year to give people a free Thanksgiving meal complete with pumpkin pie and a beverage. He also picks a charity every year and contributes money donated by members of the community. Fahely said the restaurant usually raises several thousands of dollars each year, by not only those who come to eat, but by those who want to help out and celebrate Thanksgiving elsewhere.

This year Fahley said donations will go toward Women for Women International, a four-star charity based out of Washington, D.C. The charity does a lot of work in Afghanistan, especially for women, he said, since the country has been in war for 30 years and many of them have lost husbands and other family members. Food and medical supplies are provided by Women for Women, as well and job skills training. Afghan Women who have lived through very harsh conditions can learn to own their own businesses and obtain support and counseling through the charity, Fahely said.

Because the charity supports women from his native country, Fahely said it's very personal to him.

"I've lived here for 30 years. I'll probably die here." he said, "But a part of my heart and a part of my soul is still there. You can't divorce yourself from where you're born and raised."

Fahely said a mixture of people come to the dinner each year. Last year about 800 people came to the restaurant. Families came with children because the parents didn't want to cook, and senior citizens who didn't want to worry about driving anywhere went as well, Fahely said. Single people who didn't have anywhere to go went to Angie's. Others simply wanted to stop by and support the charity, he said.

"I want to send a special invitation to all international students too," he said. "I came here in 1978 and didn't have anywhere to go on the holiday. In 1979 a family invited me to dinner, and I learned about Thanksgiving for the first time. "

The dinner at Angie's is 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. this Thursday. For questions or more information call 752-9252.

-manette.n@aggiemail.usu.edu

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