LCSO and CBC give out over 2,000 turkeys for families in need
The Lowndes County Sheriff's Office partnered up with the Community Benefit Committee to host a Thanksgiving turkey giveaway.
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Thanksgiving is a time for family and community to come together. A centerpiece of that celebration is, of course, Turkey.
That’s why the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office partnered up with the Community Benefit Committee to host their fifth annual turkey giveaway at the Bankfirst Yards Sportsplex for Lowndes County families in need.
Lowndes County Sheriff, Eddie Hawkins, said giving the gift of a quality Thanksgiving meal means a lot to the families.
“A lot of these families can’t afford to buy a turkey,” Hawkins said. “So we want to ensure that they have a good quality meal for their Thanksgiving meal, and that’s what it’s all about.”
Lieutenant Rhonda Sanders, President of the Community Benefit Committee, said a lot of people need help to have a good Thanksgiving meal.
“It means a lot,” Sanders said. “A lot of people need a hand-up instead of a hand-out. So this is just a way to cut the cost of your Thanksgiving meal so that families can come together, make memories, and have a good time.”
The Community Benefit Committee held a turkey drive leading up to the giveaway with the goal of collecting 2,000 turkeys, which they exceeded through the help of community members, philanthropic organizations, and local businesses.
Sanders said Thanksgiving is about sharing one’s blessing with others.
“It’s a time of giving and being thankful and grateful and thinking about all the blessings,” Sanders said. “That the Lord has given us, so he (enabled) us to bless other people.”
Hawkins described what Thanksgiving means to him.
“Well it’s all about being thankful for our community, and Making sure that everybody has a good Thanksgiving and everybody has a warm feeling in their heart,” Hawkins said.
Local volunteers showed up to help give out the turkeys, and one company, Parker Brother’s Towing, even volunteered their semi-truck to store and transport the turkeys for the giveaway.
Hawkins said volunteers are integral to the giveaway.
“Without the volunteers, it would be hard for us to get all this done in a timely manner,” Hawkins said. “So the volunteers are really important to us to show their support in the program and giving back to our community.”
Lauren Williams, a West Lowndes High School student said she loves when the community comes together.
“I feel like it’s a big thing to me because I love when the community comes together and gives out things and helps the other people in the community when they need help,” Williams said.
Sanders said it warms her heart to see people come out and volunteer for the giveaway.
“It warms my heart,” Sanders said. “Especially when I see my children’s classmates come out from West Lowndes to give their time because they believe in the cause of what we’re doing.”
A USDA study from 2022 found that around 17 million households in the US suffer from food insecurity.
