Columbus Community Thanksgiving Meal

COLUMBUS,Miss,(WCBI)—Dozens of volunteers in Columbus give thanks by giving back.

They helped Columbus Police Department with annual Thanksgiving meal prep and delivery.

Today is all about giving thanks. But I got to see first hand how giving back can give the same warm feeling.

” We plan on feeding sixteen hundred elderly and disabled throughout The City of Columbus,” Columbus Police Officers Rhonda Sanders.

It’s a labor of love for Columbus police officers. With help from the fire department and several community organizations and churches, they make sure those less fortunate have a hot meal on Thanksgiving.

” Today most of the meals on wheels. A lot of the places that deliver meals are not working. We decided that we were going to get together and fill the gap,” said Sanders.

Fill the gap indeed. Volunteers arrived at eight o’ clock at Stokes Beard Elementary school ready to prep, box and deliver.

It was an early start but it was well worth it because you know serving others is a characteristic of Christ when you can serve somebody else. It’s a well worth cause. We want to make sure that everybody has a warm meal on this great thanksgiving day,”said Volunteer Willie Sanders.

Officer Rhonda Sanders spearheads the community thanksgiving event each year. She says she keeps coming back because it’s a passion that hits close to home.

” I was one of those kids that was expecting, wanting…needed a little help in life and someone helped me so I want to be the one that give somebody some help,”said Officer Sanders.

Willie Sanders is a first-time volunteer. He says he got involved to give the community more than just a hot meal.

” I was inspired just from a love perspective I understand that showing companions to others really makes people feel needed, wanted, loved and uhhh it can inspire them to be better so it’s my desire to make a positive impact everywhere I go and so this is just a way to do it behind the sense so to speak.” said Willie Sanders.

Donald Pope is volunteering with his fraternity.
“We’re pretty much the back bone of the community and the community has to have someone to look up to and if we don’t reach back and help out our future generation, well, they have no support so that’s our role here to support them pull them up and so they can help others,” said Omega Si Phi Organization Member Donald Pope.

The event concluded at noon so the volunteers and other participant could go share a meal with their families.