First Tennessee Pavilion Packed for 3rd Annual Unity in the Community Thanksgiving Celebration

This Thanksgiving nearly 2000 gathered at First Tennessee Pavilion for turkey and all the trimmings.

It was Thanksgiving Dinner thanks to Unity in the Community.

This year the crowd and the need has grown... But so has the joy of helping.

For Richard Waldrep this is Thanksgiving, "I like the stuffing, the stuffing and the pumpkin pie."

Waldrep and many of his fellow Chattanoogans enjoyed a hot turkey dinner and warm conversation at the 3rd Annual Unity in the Community Thanksgiving Celebration.

Beth Trussel helped organize the event, "A lot of people won't be with their families on Thanksgiving and everybody needs at least a community of families this time of year."

It's the work of hundreds of volunteers, plus several local agencies, churches and businesses.

Cooking started before dawn.

Volunteers expected to serve nearly 2000 meals here at the pavilion...hundreds more were delivered throughout Chattanooga.

Trussel says, "There are more people that are in need, or have been displaced and are not in their home for Thanksgiving or The Holidays."

Abbie Bateman and her father Chuck say it's more than a Thanksgiving tradition, it's a chance to give back, "Everybody comes together and everybody's united volunteers and people being served alike."

And for Richard Waldrep it's one more blessing, "Giving thanks, you know for having a place to come when you ain't got no food."

Volunteers also passed out coats, blankets and other clothing items to those in need.