By Madeline Bailey
Managing Editor

[dropcap]T [/dropcap]hanksgiving is a time to count your blessing while spending time with family and enjoying the most indulgent meal of the year. For some families, putting food on the table each day is difficult, but having a holiday meal can be next to impossible. For this reason, the First Flight High School men’s basketball team has been helping families in this community serve a Thanksgiving meal in their own homes for the past five years.

“This is so important because it brings attention to those less fortunate in the community,” head coach Chad Williams said. “Everyone needs to remember the ones who are less fortunate during the holiday season.”

The team usually has a scrimmage to raise money for food, according to Williams. Since Thanksgiving is so late this year, the team had to think of something else. Instead of having the scrimmage, faculty and staff donated all of the food that was needed. From 42 cans of corn to 28 cans of french style green beans and cream of mushroom soup, the donations poured in and made this year’s meals possible.

Jann Gorham, Parent and Child Development teacher, is among those who help every year with the project.

“The fellowship I experience working with such a caring group warms my heart,” Gorham said. “I look forward each year to this tradition that was started by Coach Williams and his team of young men.”

A lot of the players say they also look forward to this every year.

“Just knowing that you are helping people out there that have nothing means a lot,” sophomore Jack Konstanzer said. “We should be thankful for what we have and give back to the community.”

Each year, Gail and Chris Driver, the parents of a First Flight High School graduate, are involved in delivering the dinners. They got involved while their son, Chris, was on the team four years ago. Mrs. Driver works at Interfaith Community Outreach so she finds out which families need the dinners. The Room in the Inn helps as well. This year, 14 needy families will receive a meal that includes turkey and dressing, gravy, green bean casserole, corn, candied yams, mashed potatoes and rolls. There’s even pie for dessert.

“Coach Williams and the team are doing such an awesome job each year with these meals and he is teaching his players such a wonderful lesson about helping your neighbors,” Mrs. Driver said. “I think that is something those young men can carry with them throughout their life.”

This helps out families in a major way. Without this, they would go hungry on Thanksgiving, Mrs. Driver said.

“There have been so many times that we have delivered these meals that people have hugged our necks, told us how thankful they are, wanted to pray with us or just cried in appreciation,” Mrs. Driver said. “It just makes us feel that we’re being good neighbors. I don’t think people realize sometimes that their families could fall upon hard times as well and it could be someone that you know personally who is struggling but they never let you know. Each time we get to drop one of these meals off the entire experience is rewarding.”

The community also supports the basketball team with their cause. Barefoot Bernies is providing the turkeys while High Cotton is cooking them, Williams said.

“We give back to the community because they give back to us by buying our food,” Barefoot Bernies manager Bryan Ellis said.

The holidays are a time to be thankful for what you have, Will Geraghty said. He said the team likes being together, giving back to the community.

“The experience is good for team-bonding,” junior Preston Askew said. “Also, I like knowing it gives needy families a Thanksgiving dinner who can’t afford one.”

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