A group’s efforts to collect aluminum cans in the West Newton-Yukon-Collinsburg areas will pay off in a big way this week as they provide a free Thanksgiving dinner in Jeannette.

“I look at it as a way of helping people in need,” said Joseph Muscenti, 67, of Wyano, a retired Elliott Co. worker who is president of Operation Pick-Up Cans, a nonprofit that uses the proceeds from cashing in the cans to help pay for the meal and other goodwill projects.

This year’s free dinner is planned for 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday at The Salvation Army, 1100 Clay Ave. Ext. In the past, the group has provided meals for about 100 people, said Muscenti, whose nickname is “Jo-Can.”

There is no requirement to register for the meal, Muscenti said.

Like so many other initiatives, the free Thanksgiving dinner had been disrupted, said John Sweeney Jr., 37, of West Newton, who is vice president of the group.

“In the past, we have always sponsored dinners at The Salvation Army for Thanksgiving and Easter, but over the past few years we haven’t been able to do it because of covid,” said Sweeney, who met Muscenti when he also worked at Elliott.

Sweeney became involved after seeing what Muscenti was doing to help others.

“I’ve known Joe all my life. I thought it was a great idea,” Sweeney said.

Members of the Operation Pick-up Cans board will buy the turkeys for the meal, with the money from the cans paying for the side dishes such as potatoes, stuffing and other Thanksgiving-related delicacies. Muscenti said he was not certain how much money the side dishes will cost.

The seven turkeys will be cooked at the homes of the board members, with the side dishes prepared at The Salvation Army, Sweeney said.

Muscenti has been collecting cans from individuals, social clubs and the like for about 10 years and takes them to a scrap yard where he gets paid by the pound. He has recycled about 400 pounds of cans this year, earning about 45 cents a pound. That’s down from last year, when recyclers were paying about 65 cents a pound, Muscenti said. The price for recycled aluminum cans varies, depending on market demand.

The group has helped people need and with playground ground projects in communities, Sweeney and Muscenti said.

“I was blessed in life to be able to be able to work, so I thought I would help somebody else,” Muscenti said.

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