Pizza shop gives out over 180 free Thanksgiving meals

MINERAL WELLS, W.Va. (WTAP) - The giving spirit is alive and well in the Mid-Ohio Valley. With the help of the community, the Pete’s Pizza crew in Mineral Wells was able to serve over 180 free Thanksgiving meals.

For the past few days, this pizza crew has been making pizza and prepping Thanksgiving meals.

Restaurant Owner Jodi Damron said, “We stayed up until 2am and then we were back here. Everyone started rolling in about 8 - 8:30 this morning.”

Thanksgiving Day was spent packing and delivering meals to people who signed up. It’s an idea that came up last year.

“We learned over the pandemic how many people in our area are disabled, elderly, can’t get out, don’t have a way out, etcetera, so that’s been strong on our hearts ever since,” Damron said.

It’s an effort that built momentum as word spread. Eventually customers, local businesses, and local churches were stepping up to help out. Some volunteered to deliver, some donated food, and some came in to help the day of Thanksgiving.

“It means a lot to me because I think this is what gets people through life and I think that, during the holidays when we’re doing well, it’s a little easy to forget that there are people still out there struggling and so I just think it’s important that so many people, not just the ones here, took the time to think about the people that needed that pick-me-up,” Damron said.

Restaurant Staff Member Amber Beckett hopes the effort instills in her kids an important life lesson.

She said, “I had my kids with me today so that was like - I wanted to show them what it’s like to give to other people.”

From WTAP to you, happy Thanksgiving.

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