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Volunteers Serving Up Thanksgiving Dinner Early

Posted at 4:57 PM, Nov 18, 2012
and last updated 2012-11-18 23:10:29-05

It’s might be a few days early, but that’s not stopping them from getting in the holiday spirit. Briana Carter volunteered to help Guiding Light Mission in Grand Rapids with their annual Thanksgiving dinner Sunday afternoon.

“We are here to help them, serve them and be as nice as possible,” Briana Carter said.

Carter was one of the many volunteers who showed up to help.

Creston High School girl’s basketball team volunteered to help with the dinner, by doing everything from making up plates to handing out food.

“We are just here helping out the less fortunate, because sometimes they don’t get the chance to celebrate with their families. This is how they celebrate Thanksgiving,” Carter said.

The girls are served up food to about 200 people that might not get a Thanksgiving otherwise.

The basketball team contacted the mission a few months ago about volunteering for this event. People with Guiding Light Mission say they get so many people that want to volunteer to help with events like this, they end up turning volunteers away.

“We get a different crowd than what we would get on Thanksgiving, because people do go to various locations and travel and things like that,” Jessica Manfrin said.

Manfrin serves as the development director for Guiding Light Mission.

Briana says this is a great way to celebrate a holiday that is all about giving thanks.

“This is their time to celebrate the holiday. I’m just happy we can help them do that,”  Carter added.