BUCKHANNON — Just in time for Thanksgiving, the Upshur County Public Library is inviting community members to submit their cherished recipes for a special community cookbook.

The initiative, led by UCPL Assistant Director Tanner Lutz, aims to bring the community closer by sharing the unique flavors and food traditions that make Upshur County special.

“The library was inspired by a desire to bring the community together and celebrate the unique flavors and traditions of our members,” said Lutz. “Food has a special way of connecting people, and Thanksgiving felt like the perfect opportunity to share recipes as a community.”

The library is asking patrons to submit their recipes by either stopping by the library to fill out a submission form or by emailing Lutz directly at Tanner.Lutz@upshur.wvlibrary.info. Each submission should include the contributor’s name and the name of the recipe, ensuring everyone gets credit for their culinary contributions.

“We want everyone to be able to contribute and feel involved, and this feels like a great way to capture those personal touches and reflect what makes the community special,” Lutz said. “One of the best parts of this project is discovering dishes that might be new to us but are beloved by others in our community.”

Once compiled, the community cookbook will be shared with everyone who submitted a recipe via email. It will also be available for download on the library’s Facebook page, making it easy for community members to try out their neighbors’ favorite dishes.

“I’m excited to see what recipes our patrons will submit, and I’m sure everyone will have new favorites to try,” Lutz said.

Visit the library’s website for a calendar of events and other upcoming programming.