Photo by Lindsay Grace Photography
Early on Thanksgiving morning, local United Way volunteers in hundreds of cars are assigned a route and begin their journey to deliver warm holiday meals to folks around the Brazos Valley. Epicures Catering and Chartwells will provide the food for Thanksgiving in the Brazos Valley, a holiday tradition started 38 years ago. “It’s a traditional Thanksgiving meal,” says Peggi Goss, vice president of community impact for United Way of the Brazos Valley, and each individually plated meal generally includes turkey and dressing, sweet potatoes, a vegetable such as green beans, and a dessert.
Photo by Lindsay Grace Photography
“It's a really good way to feel good about your community on Thanksgiving morning,” says Goss, who adds that this annual tradition is one of the biggest volunteer opportunities for the community during the holiday season. “The volunteers are giving back to the residents,” she says. “They see the residents' faces and are able to celebrate with them — folks who may or may not have other people to celebrate with.”
While doing deliveries, Goss says volunteers spread some holiday cheer with those who may not be able to spend the holiday with families or friends. “It's kind of nice to stop by and visit for a few minutes with the folks and hand them a meal that they can enjoy at their leisure on Thanksgiving Day,” she says. “It makes you thankful for what you have.”
With the holiday cheer filling the air, Goss encourages community members to get involved with giving all season long with opportunities with other organizations.
Photo by Lindsay Grace Photography
Individuals can give back through the Rotary Club of Aggieland on Saturday, Nov. 20 for the Thanksgiving Basket Service Project. “The baskets can contain an uncooked meal, so that people can enjoy cooking a meal on Thanksgiving Day itself,” Goss says. “It's delivered early so that they can thaw out the turkey.”
To continue the giving spirit beyond Thanksgiving, Goss recommends signing up for a bell ringing shift to support the Salvation Army. “We totally encourage everybody to do the bell ring; it's easy to sign up for shorter shifts,” she says. “You can do it as a family. It's a good time.”
To volunteer to deliver meals, sign up online at VolunteerBrazosValley.org. To receive a meal, register online at uwbv.org/holiday-assistance or text BVThanksgiving to 41444.
