ABERDEEN, Miss. (WTVA) -- The Thanksgiving Holiday is a special day to remember for people in Aberdeen.
Local residents gathered at the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center to celebrate Thanksgiving.
An act of kindness by the late William Walker of Aberdeen and his family started over a decade ago, and each year the tradition of helping the less fortunate over the holidays grows each year.
"He started it in his kitchen probably feeding 25 people," adds Gwendolyn Clopton, Aberdeen resident. "The next year, we fed about 100 people, and so that's the reason we got the volunteers at the center down here so we could open it up to more of the public."
To feed around 300 people takes days of cooking and countless hours of preparation, but those that serve say it's worth every penny.
"Once you start cooking and giving, it just comes naturally," adds Alice Vassar, Aberdeen resident. "Once you start giving, you're going to get it back."
With so many people in north Mississippi struggling economically, the Walker family looks to extend their tradition in addition to helping people out over the 4th of July and during the Thanksgiving holiday, for the second year in a row this year they look to help people out over the Christmas holiday.
"Christmas is Jesus, [and] is the reason for the season and people sometimes go overboard with the gifts, because I say if the gifts come from your heart, that's the best gift you can give," added Vassar.
For those who don't have transportation to get to the Community Center, the Walker family calls on volunteers to help deliver.
"We go out on Egypt Road because we know people that stay out there and the people need some meals sometimes," adds Vassar. "Some of them drive, but if they can't drive we will take it out there to them."
Their generosity also includes desserts, ranging from traditional to those not so well-known.
"Eight pies four sweet potato and four pecan and one Hummingbird Cake," adds Macy Walker, wife of William Walker. "This is my first time making Hummingbird Cake."
"What is a Hummingbird Cake?"
"Well it's a special cake, very special," added Walker.
Though something like this can end up being quite expensive, the walker family pays for everything out of their own pockets, and their close friends volunteer their time as well.
