INDIANAPOLIS — For many, Thanksgiving is a time to break bread, share stories and create memories with those you love.
A local nonprofit has been helping families in need do just that for more than five decades.
Every year, Mike O'Banyel and his family lends a helping hand.
"I've been doing this since the late 70s, early 80s,” O’Banyel said.
He’s an elder at Tabernacle Presbyterian Church — one of many area kitchens pitching in to help the Mozel Sanders Foundation serve roughly 11,000 meals on Thursday.
O'Banyel, his wife and his son began their day at 6 a.m. and will most likely end their day at 4 in the afternoon. He calls it a labor of love.
“Some of those volunteers are folks from the church who will sit down with the neighborhood friends and pray with them, talk to them, while they sit and have a cup of coffee or a slice of pie to wait for their meals,” he said.
Volunteer Bobby White says the need always exists in our community.
“It’s really hard to judge from year to year, because I think the need grows tremendously. As long as we can continue to be a blessing and do what we can do to serve, I think everything will be well,” White said.
The foundation traded in turkey for chicken this year — a whopping 5,000 pounds of it.
PREVIOUS: Mozel Sanders finding silver lining despite swapping turkey for chicken this Thanksgiving
White says the best part of the day is seeing families in need enjoying a warm meal.
And when asked what his big plans after all the hard work is done, he had one word — rest.
“It totally wipes me out. I’m happy to be a blessing to somebody today. After I'm finished here today, it’s just rest for me and spending time with my family," he said.
-
4 adults, 3 juveniles arrested after series of southeast side drive-by shootings
Seven people, including three juveniles, were arrested by Indianapolis police following a series of shootings across multiple neighborhoods on the southeast side.
IMPD officer injured in crash on southeast side, teen driver in custody
An Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officer was taken to a hospital after being involved in a crash on Indy’s near southeast side Friday morning.
Masked thieves hit south side fireworks store days before Fourth of July
A fireworks store on the south side of Indianapolis was open again Thursday after it was the target of a smash-and-grab Wednesday morning.
‘Nothing escaped’: Morgan County time capsule destroyed by water damage
A time capsule buried on the Morgan County courthouse lawn on July 4, 1976, and recently unearthed during renovation has suffered significant water damage that soaked everything inside.
