VALDOSTA — Members of Sons of Solomon Lodge No. 151 and Electa Chapter No. 323 hosted a Day of Caring from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Thanksgiving day. Those in attendance at River Hill Missionary Baptist Church on James Road were treated to a meal consisting of turkey and dressing, giblet gravy, cranberry sauce, collard greens, green beans with potatoes, cornbread muffins, sweet potato pie, chicken and rice, potato salad, cake and cupcakes.

Showers, free haircuts and clean clothes were also provided upon request to any persons who needed them, said Deputy Grandmaster Obie Wilson.

“That’s what we do. We feed, clothe, and try to be there for people who need spiritual guidance,” Wilson said. “We depend on the community ourselves, so it’s only right we take the time to do this for others,” he said.

Not many organizations feed the needy on the actual day of Thanksgiving, said Grandmaster Eddie L. Koonce. Quite a few patrons turned out to take advantage of the food, fellowship and music at the church, despite the fact that James Road is still undergoing construction.

Pastor Dellise Cox said that, prior to the meal, he spoke to those in attendance about the importance of feeding people physically and spiritually.

“Before you can help a person, you have to feed them physically. After you feed their physical body, you can reason with them about spiritual food,” he said.

Church member Alma Thomas said one good reason for sharing the Thanksgiving meal and the spirit of caring is that those who experience it will pass on the good deed to others.

Transportation was provided for those who needed it, Koonce said. Vans made stops at the parking lots of the Salvation Army and Mildred Hunter

Community Center, and on Magnolia Street next to St. John A.M.E. Church.

Sam Watts and crew at Sam’s Bar-B-Q & Catering issued an open invitation to anyone in the community to come and enjoy a traditional holiday meal from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. at their 414 E. Hill Ave. location. This was the third year Sam has offered its Thanksgiving Day Harvest to anyone in the community.

Dolores Williams, who works with Sam’s catering, said “Everything has gone really really well. We had a big turnout, and the volunteer turnout was really amazing because we had so many come out to help the people be fed. It’s a wonderful thing that so many would take the time out of their Thanksgiving to help others.”

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, LACE and TEACH Inc., joined forces again this year to sponsor their eighth annual Thanksgiving Day Feast from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the TEACH Outreach Center, located at 606 S. Lee St. Anyone who needed or wanted a hot meal of turkey and dressing with all the trimmings was invited to attend. Volunteers from Mt. Calvary Baptist Church also assisted in the effort.

Volunteer Joan Allen said they delivered at least 75 plates to shut-ins, and served approximately 150 people, and more were still coming in as of 12:30 p.m. Thursday.

Elsie Napier, visionary and overseer for TEACH, said “We have been blessed with volunteers from the community, and we are just so thankful that the community could come together to make this happen.”