Volunteers get ready for Thanksgiving

MOBILE, Ala. - Wednesday night was a big night at the Waterfront Rescue Mission in Mobile. They are preparing to serve and deliver 2,000 meals for Thanksgiving and it takes the kindness of volunteers to make it happen.

Volunteer Lisa Wiggs was at the Rescue Mission lending a hand and teaching her daughter Emily a lesson in life.

"It's just something that we can do together and I think it's good to teach her as a young person that she needs to give back to the community and serve others and not just think about herself all the time," Lisa said.

"It just gives me a really good feeling to see people get stuff that don't normally get to have something," Emily said.

Mobile Police Department's Explorers were also at the mission. These kids return year after year to make sure the needy are fed.

"I think of it as an opportunity to come out and help somebody else that needs help," said explorer Terrell Snell.

A lot of help was needed to prepare the Thanksgiving dinner. Fortunately, some of the hardest work was already done. Volunteers only had a few turkeys left to pick. More than 100 birds had already been prepared and were waiting in a refrigerated truck.

Volunteers were also packing that truck with beans, corn and desserts. On Thanksgiving morning, it will all be scooped into individual servings and delivered to the needy all over town.

For Chaplain Robert Willmann it's what the Waterfront Rescue Mission is all about.

"Thanksgiving is about being thankful for what you receive and we take it one step further and say not only are we thankful but we thank God by taking what we have by distributing it to others that are less fortunate than us."

The meals will be delivered by officers from the Mobile Police Department Thanksgiving morning.