Local program provides 1,200 meals for Thanksgiving

According to its organizers, Thursday's Free Thanksgiving Meal program was a success, with approximately 1,200 meals served throughout Mississippi County.

Aaron Brassfield, who initiated and runs the program, said this year volunteers were able to feed all the local recipients of Meals on Wheels, and also worked with Arkansas Counseling and Mid-South counseling to provide for families in the south part of the county. The Blytheville Emergency Squad volunteered and took more than 100 meals to senior citizens in Dyess, Joiner and Dell, and a volunteer group from Osceola delivered 100 meals there.

Most of the meals were delivered; Brassfield said with the help of 40 volunteers, more than 1,000 plates were driven to the homes of those in need. The rest of the meals served were picked up as take-out or eaten at the Blytheville Senior Center.

"This is the first year we had a lot of inquiries in the Manila and Leachville area," he said. "So we will try to start working with a group over there to handle that side of the county and add them in next year. It was a real success, and we couldn't have done it without the goodness of all the people helping out."

sharris@blythevillecourier.com