Community gathers for Thanksgiving meal delivery

BRADFORD, Tenn. — One West Tennessee town made sure no one went hungry this Thanksgiving.

For the town of Bradford, a happy Thanksgiving isn’t complete without helping others.

For 28 years, Gibson County volunteered to deliver food to those in need.

“We are handing out over 300 meals to home-bound senior citizens who are not able to spend time with their families,” said Director of the Gibson County Office on Aging Pam Dethloff.

“We want to make sure they are not forgotten on the day that we get to spend time with our family,” Dethloff said.

To kick off festivities, community leaders divided into two groups, the Pilgrims and Indians, and raced to see who could make the most meals.

“Bradford is a small town, but we all come together on occasions like this, and everybody pitches in and works together,” said Mayor of Bradford Ray Arnold.

By the end of the race, over 330 meals were made.

“Our seniors are very special people, and there’s a lot of them that can’t cook this meal,” Dethloff said. “So we want to make sure that we brighten their day.”

Finally, drivers and bikers lined up to deliver each meal individually.

“It makes your heart feel real good to be out here doing things for the public,” Arnold said.

“It’s a blessing to be able to be here today, and we have a beautiful day to send these meals out,” Dethloff said.

The drivers delivered the food to senior citizens across Gibson County.