Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Volunteers joined with First Baptist Church Mahan and Crocker Funeral Home Saturday to ensure local families have a turkey on their tables this Thanksgiving.

The event, held at the church on 112 Mahan St. Saturday, Nov. 12, marks the first such event for this partnership.

Crocker Funeral Home President Michelle Pearson-Clark joined with Suffolk Police Officer J.H. Jackson III and his wife, Gale, to discuss the importance of the event for the community as they worked to assist those in need.

“Crocker Funeral Home this year partnered with First Baptist Mahan to do a turkey giveaway to reach back into the community that’s given so much to Crocker Funeral Home over the 90 plus years we’ve been in business,” Pearson-Clark said. “It will be annual going forward, this is our first one. We are hoping to make this an annual event in partnership with First Baptist Mahan.”

The Jackons both took the time to speak about the event and their hopes for next year.

“It’s a community event that we joined in partnership with Crocker Funeral Home and First Baptist Church Mahan was selected to do the partnership community turkey give away,” Officer Jackson said.  “We hope that next year we’re going to try to do the same event, along with the volunteers, and get more people to come out and give a free giveaway of turkeys. We want to give back to the community, so that everyone can be nourished and blessed on thanksgiving. And that’s what we’re all here for, to give to the less fortunate.”

Gale Jackson shared her gratitude to those who came out to help and participate in the give away.

“We also want to thank the Suffolk Sheriff’s department for their participation today and all our members who came out, volunteered their time,” she said. “It’s a wonderful endeavor. It’s a chance for us, just as a church, to give back and that’s what we’re all about. We’re all about giving back to our community. We’ll be having some other things later on.”

Pearson-Clark and Officer Jackson both shared what they hope everyone will take away from the event.

“That we’re here to help and serve as much as we can for people in their time of need,” Pearson-Clark said. “That First Baptist Church, of course, is a church home for anybody that’s looking for a church home and that we want to help and support the community of Suffolk that we’ve been involved with for so many years.”

Officer Jackson said local residents need to always remember there is someone in need. “When someone is in need, if you’re blessed, bless your blessings with someone else,” he said. “Remember that the church is here for you, God is here for you, and we’re here for you — First Baptist Church Mahan and also Crocker Funeral Home staff.”

 

Turkey giveaways this weekend

Two additional Thanksgiving turkey giveaways are set for Saturday, Nov. 19. Suffolk United holds its free Thanksgiving food giveaway from 9 to 11 a.m. at 201 Holly Lawn Parkway (behind Kroger Main Street). The drive-through event is for anyone that is in need of food.

Likewise, Councilman LeOtis Williams, LW’s Lawn Service and MWM Investments and Property Management hold their annual Thanksgiving turkey giveaway from 9 a.m. to noon at 615 Old E. Pinner Street. During the scheduled time, families may receive a Thanksgiving voucher to use. After noon, any remaining items will be distributed to the public. For more information, call (757) 925-0747 on Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m to 4 p.m.