Seastar Restaurant and Raw Bar served more than 425 needy people on Thanksgiving Day, giving them a complete holiday dinner at the restaurant. The families were chosen through Overlake Service League, Hopelink, Olive Crest and the Redmond YWCA.

Seastar crewmembers volunteered as cooks; family members and friends were the servers and dishwashers.

Seastar chef/owner John Howie estimates that the effort used more than 300 pounds of turkey, 60 pounds of dry crouton cubes for stuffing, 200 pounds of Yukon gold potatoes, 200 pounds of yams, 60 pounds of cranberry sauce, 70 dozen dinner rolls and a multitude of pumpkin pies.

When Thanksgiving dinner service was finished, Howie and the volunteers sat down to their own Thanksgiving dinner together.

Ecohaus, a green building retailer, is collecting donations for Northwest Harvest with a food drive through the month of December. Those who bring in donations can enter to win a $100 gift certificate to ecohaus.

Donations of non-perishable food and baby items that are nutritious and low in sugars are sought. They can be dropped off at the firm’s Bellevue location, 13131 N.E. 20th St., Monday-Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Paule Attar Salon and Spa is accepting food donations through Dec. 30 to aid Overlake Service League. Canned food or boxed food that does not have to be refrigerated is preferred. Suggestions include canned vegetables, gravy, soup or stock, cranberry or boxes and bags of prepared foods such as scalloped potatoes, rice, stuffing, dried fruits and nuts. Donations can be dropped off at the salon, 10223 NE 10th St. during normal hours of operation: Monday 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Tuesday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., or Saturday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.