RACINE — Friends, fellowship, and family, that was the theme of this year's thanksgiving giveaway event in Racine where thousands have come to get a free hot meal and celebrate the true meaning of the holiday.
Whether you're young or old, big or small, there was something for everyone to enjoy at Dan and Ray's 13th Annual Rendering Thanks event.
"Thanksgiving is about not just food, it means what you're thankful for, and I'm thankful for everything that I got," said 10-year-old Mya Morrison.
Desiree McClain has been coming to the event for over a decade and says there's no place around like it.
"I've been coming, bringing my grandkids, my grandkids have grown up here," said McClain. "Everybody pitches in, there's all kinds of different people, all ages helping out. And it's nice, it just warms my heart."
Dan Johnson, one of the founders of the annual event, says with the cost of food skyrocketing it was critical to provide as many meals as possible to anyone who needed them this holiday.
"We do green beans, corn, stuffing, mashed potatoes, a whole turkey," said Johnson. "It's not about richer or poorer, it's basically more of a humanitarian effort to try and show that we can all just hang out and have a great day."
And in a year when Racine has seen a lot of violence, community members say events like these show the true heart of the city.
"There's a lot of good in the world and we can see it right here," said Johnson.
"It's truly a blessing to see all these people out here," said McClain.
