Murphy – “It started three years ago after a Thanksgiving Day family reunion,” Annie Lloyd said. “We had so much food left over and we didn’t know what to do with it all. That’s when Cecilia (Crawford, daughter-in-law) suggested we take it out to the shelter.”
When they arrived, residents at the Hurlburt-Johnson Friendship House homeless shelter were thrilled. “They told us they hadn’t had anything to eat all day,” Lloyd added.
That’s all it took to become a tradition. By their second year, they moved the operation to Main Street Diner, where Lloyd’s son, James Faulkner, works.
“We gave away over 900 meals last year,” Lloyd said.
This year marks their third, and it was a natural migration for the Rotary Club of Murphy to join in with Crawford served as president-elect. Crawford, who was busy organizing the volunteers Thursday, said of her own family dinner, “We are all eating later; it’s more important to be here right now.”
Her thoughts echoed throughout the café, as dozens of volunteers spent four hours of their own Thanksgiving to help serve members of the community who had no meal of their own.
Micah and Kiwi Hancock heard about the event from their pastor at Shepherd of the Mountains church.
“We wanted to help out,” Kiwi said. A pastor from Ogreeta Baptist Church also encouraged his congregants to serve. Skeebo Bowen added with a laugh, “We were all threatened to be here.”
Volunteer Larry Wishon heard about the volunteer opportunity on the radio.
“This is what we should do, according to Jesus. ‘Love your neighbors,’ and our neighbors are anyone in need.”
Main Street buzzed with happy energy as purple takeaway bags soon filled the room, ready for a hungry community to collect them. Galen Lloyd – who was volunteering with his mother, Princess – joked that he volunteered, “Because this is where the food is.”
His mother laughed, adding, “We came to give to somebody else.”
Mayor Tim Radford joined the efforts as the Official Sign Holder heralding the event on the sidewalk in front of the café.
“I love living in a community that cares about others,” he said. “Today was a great example of that. Around 30 volunteers showed up to make someone’s Thanksgiving a little brighter.”
Tiffany Crawford, volunteering by organizing a giveaway of personal supplies, said she was happy to spend Thanksgiving in service.