The Farmville Train Station hummed with activity the day before Thanksgiving as members and volunteers in the community helped package and receive meals during the Virginia Smoove Rydaz MC/ SC and Piedmont Community Supporters’ annual Thanksgiving event, where the organizations partner to distribute hundreds of meals to people in need.

Volunteers served meals at the station itself, while hundreds of other meals, packaged in plastic foam containers, were delivered to those shut in, without transportation or who may be elderly or have mental illness.

The station halls were full of the smells of delicious food and was a little warm from the cooking. The process of cooking, packaging and delivering meals while greeting friends and loved ones is routine for volunteers, as the organizers have been preparing and giving away Thanksgiving meals for more than 10 years, first beginning in 2006.

The dinners included green beans, yams, turkey, ham, mashed potatoes and dinner rolls. The Thanksgiving fixings were both packaged and served by members of the community.

The High Bridge Strutters Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation donated turkeys for the dinners.

Donald Hunter, event organizer, said volunteers had been at the site since 8 a.m., cooking and packaging the meals. He estimates volunteers will make approximately 1,000 meals before the end of the day.

He noted that the organizations hold fundraisers throughout the year that helps raise money to deliver the meals, and also offer other means of community support, including a bike and toys giveaway by Smoove Rydaz and scholarships by Piedmont Community Supporters.

“It’s satisfying to be able to help people,” Hunter said about the event. “It’s second nature for us to give meals to them.”

Frances Brown, who came with friends and family members to the event, said she has been moved by the event and the dedication of the volunteers.

“I think it’s wonderful,” Frances Brown said. “They do so much.”

Alma Spragues and Karen Langhorne, volunteers with Smooth Rydaz, said the event was particularly meaningful.

“It’s great to give back to the community,” Spragues said.

“It’s always better to give than to receive,” Langhorne said. “Taking time out, making sure somebody has a meal, and is happy for Thanksgiving, that’s all that matters.”