Family Traditions and Lasting Legacies

By Samantha DePriest

Family traditions are part of what makes the holidays so special and help create lasting legacies for generations to come. Twenty years ago, Patricia Ann Griffin (Johnson) started an outreach she lovingly called “Thanksgiving Plates”. Her son and daughter-in-law, Mr. Frankie and Dorothy Johnson, and the Trinity Church Outreach team joined alongside her and each year have grown the ministry to help serve a Thanksgiving meal for those in need in the the community. The outreach was renamed a few years back to “Franksgiving” though Mr. Frankie is usually found working diligently behind the scenes and gives all glory to God for the growth of this ministry.

At the very heart of this ministry, the hope was to provide a delicious hot meal for those who didn’t have one. Families from both Trinity Church and Trinity Christian School join together to provide prepared dishes and extra hands on Thanksgiving morning as they make to go boxes filled with all the things. Each carefully prepared meal includes both turkey and ham, green beans, macaroni and cheese, dressing, cranberry sauce, rolls, sweet potato and pumpkin pies, and plasticware. A very special thank you to local restaurant Jim ‘N Nicks Bar-B-Q located just across the street from Trinity who graciously donated delicious side dishes as well. Over 150 volunteers met in the Gathering Place bright and early at 9am this past Thanksgiving morning joyful and ready to serve together representing the church, the school, TCS alumni, and extended friends and family. In record time, these world changers both seasoned and newbies helped prepare 875 delicious meals in just about 2 hours.

Once each box was prepared and checked for quality control, they were carefully bagged, loaded into cars, and taken by volunteers to make special deliveries all over the community. Cars line up with trunks open and ready to deliver. From mobile homes to apartments, extended stay motels to the homeless, these hot meals reached to the far corners of our county spreading joy on a day that can be difficult for many.

When speaking with Dorothy and Frankie, they humbly shared their wish for this outreach was to continue to be grow and meet more needs in the community. They also desire for it to be passed down to the next generation one day, as it was passed down to them from Ms. Patricia. Each year they strive to make it a little more efficient and easy to replicate so they can serve more people and encourage more volunteers to serve.

“Thanksgiving Plates” is truly a legacy of love and a family tradition that is sharing the love of Christ in a world that so desperately needs it. What a beautiful way to give those looking to make a difference an outlet for compassionate service. To see the heart of God is to witness His people sacrificially giving of their time, talent, and resources to reach into their own backyards and love on and encourage one another.