Morgan Mill ISD's Thanksgiving Feast honors military personnel: Small School, Big Heart
MORGAN MILL -- We are six days out from Thanksgiving, and for many, that means getting together with family and friends to celebrate.
But some folks, like the men and women serving our country, won't be able to spend Thanksgiving with family.
Down in Morgan Mill, a little school district is making a big effort to serve those who serve.
On a normal day, just about 125 students fill Morgan Mill ISD.
But Friday was no normal day.
"When I talk about it to people, they can't believe that a small school, like we are, can pull off an event like this," said Wendy Sanders, the superintendent of Morgan Mill ISD.
She, along with every member of the staff and the students, have been getting ready all week for their big day.
"The teachers cook 40 turkeys, they spend their conference period pulling turkeys off the bone, making dressing, getting ready, and this morning we start at about 6:30 putting things in the oven," said Sanders.
Today is their annual Thanksgiving feast, with all the fixings.
"It started out as just a small little parents and student thing and then it just grew into the community," said Sanders. "It's just grown and grown and grown into what it is today."
And the guests of honor have just arrived.
Soldiers from Fort Cavazos make the trip to get a home-cooked meal and spend time with the students and their families.
Soldiers like Cpl. Amber Solis.
"Really looking forward to hanging out with the children, enjoying some Thanksgiving lunch, playing some recess tag, football, all that," said Solis.
And Specialist DeAngelo Lewis.
"It feels good to be noticed. It feels good to be important, even by the youth," said Lewis.
In addition to feeding them, the kids write letters to the soldiers.
"I am thankful to have freedom, thank you for serving our country, you are the coolest soldier. Could you write back, please? I will be writing back," Lewis reads one of his letters.
For students like Reese Andrews, it's a fun day, but he's also learning what it means to give back.
"To give back to the community that supports us year-round, it's an awesome day, you get to come out and have fun with your community," said Andrews.
For a small community like this to give back in such a big way, that's what Thanksgiving is all about.
"I love being able to give back to them, and they just give us so much year-round and work 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and it's just something we can do to give back to them," said Andrews.