At the Collingdale Fire Hall, soft music filled the room, and a Thanksgiving feast with all the trimmings was served to dozens of men and women.
“They gave of themselves selflessly, so why can’t we just reciprocate that in love,” said Collingdale councilor Felecia Coffee.
Coffee said she spent months planning the meal for 75 veterans who served our country. Her inspiration was several members of her family who served in the military.
“I feel like when you’re blessed, you have no choice but to be a blessing,” Coffee said.
“This is a great event because it deploys multiple times around the world,” said Tyrone Love, a retired first sergeant in the U.S. Army. “Sometimes we forget, or some of our veterans are forgotten, so it’s great that she can put this on for the vets or the less fortunate.”
This was Coffee’s second year hosting the Thanksgiving meal, but she has been organizing food distributions for the less fortunate in her backyard for more than a decade. Even after that losing her house to a fire last May, Coffee’s commitment to the community hasn’t stopped.
“There’s no better feeling because you feel so appreciated for something so small, and it’s really big for them, so that in itself is a joy for me,” Coffee said.
That feeling is also what drives Carl Childs in North Philadelphia. For the past five years, he has volunteered with The Hartranft Playground Alliance and Village of Arts and Humanities, serving turkey and a hot meal to community members in need on Thanksgiving.
“I think my community needs to see that we are all together,” Childs said. “Personally I really enjoy it, I love meeting new people.”
Ryan Hughes
