Once again, the family of the late C. Faye Tillery has honored her legacy and reminded Suffolk to be proud of her memory.

Gathering at the Salvation Army on Bank Street last Saturday, a group of family members and friends of the beloved former Parks and Recreation Department employee who died of cancer 17 years ago served nearly 170 children by feeding them and a family member and providing backpacks filled with school supplies.

This was the fifth year the Tillery family had organized the giveaway, and the woman in whose name they hold it would likely be proud of their continuing efforts on a variety of fronts to give young people in Suffolk a head start.

In Tillery’s name, the family gives scholarships each year, and it raises money for them at an annual April banquet in her honor. On Saturday, the family handed out lunches and then had enough left over to distribute 25 of them around the community.

Donnie Gambrell, a nephew of Faye Tillery, said this week that the event honors his aunt’s heart for helping others, which is something that extends to their entire family.

“She would just help people,” he said. “That’s just how we were raised. It’s nice to give back. It’s better to give than to receive. The best we can do is be an example of that.”

What a great way to honor a beloved aunt.