35,000 expected for
Sanders Dinner

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - The tradition continues, this Thanksgiving with the 37th Annual Mozel Sanders Dinner. Volunteers began cooking the thousands of pounds of food at 3 a.m. Thursday morning. This year they plan to serve more meals than ever before - thanks to the tough economy.

While most are sound asleep, the volunteers arrive at Butler University. The came from all over Indianapolis and Central Indiana. The reason, to give back to those in need.

"We have 37 satellite locations this year," said head chef Cullen Sampson. He has been the head chef of the Mozel Sanders foundation for the past 16 years. The satellite locations are primarily located at area churches.

"We've got 12,000 thousand pounds of turkey, 8,700 pounds of green beans, the same in stuffing, about 900 gallons of gravy and 70,000 rolls," Sampson said.

In other words- a lot of food. 35,000 meals were prepared this year, the most ever.

"Last year we served 25,000, we're doing so this year because there are so many people who are unemployed, so many people who have fallen on bad times," said Rev. Roosevelt Sanders, son of the late Mozel Sanders. The elder Sanders started the annual dinner in 1971.

"My father always depended on all kinds of people to make this happen and we're just grateful that we have the health and the strength to continue this tradition," he said.

Among the many volunteers is Flora Garrison, she's volunteered here for the past 10 years.

"If I didn't see these people on Thanksgiving Day, I would really feel like I didn't have a Thanksgiving," Garrison said.

The tradition continues to make sure no one goes hungry on Thanksgiving.