FINDLAY, Ohio — A Findlay church is getting ready to serve the community and continue a Thanksgiving Day tradition of nearly two decades.
Once again, the members of Stonebridge Church in Findlay are opening their doors to offer free Thanksgiving meals to the community.
This year, members have cooked 82 turkeys, along with all of the sides and even dessert.
This is Simon Chan's tenth year volunteering.
"Because it doesn't cost me anything, really, but my time and my effort," Chan said. "It's something I can do or anybody can do and still make an impact."
Between in-house dining, drive-thru pickup and delivery, the church is planning on handing out 1,800 to 2,000 meals.
Volunteers are set to deliver around 1,300 meals along 32 routes.
"It's just been extremely rewarding to deliver to those people and they're so appreciative and it's truly awesome to be a part of it," delivery coordinator Richard Patterson said.
"The meal has also come to provide a place of community for those that don't have that, whether they're on their own or their family can't make it in," Stephanie Schack, Stonebridge Church associate pastor, said. "It's just provided a place for people to come and sit down and have a meal together."
Throughout the week and into Thanksgiving Day, 200 volunteers from the church and from the greater Findlay community area will have helped make this free meal event possible.
Organizers say many of the church families have made volunteering a part of their family Thanksgiving Day tradition.
"We've added more and more opportunities so families don't necessarily have to take away their Thanksgiving Day," Schack said. "But so many of our families have made this a part of their tradition to not only still have their meal, but to give back as part of their day to others as well."
Stonebridge Church will be offering its free Thanksgiving Day meals service with drive-thru meals offered from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and in-house dining from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.