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Why they volunteer at Mozel Sanders Thanksgiving dinner

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – Mayor Joe Hogsett, Gov. Eric Holcomb and a long line of volunteers dedicated a part of their Thanksgiving to giving back.

They helped out with the annual Mozel Sanders Thanksgiving dinner.

Tricia Smith, a volunteer from Kentucky, made the trip north to help the Mozel Sanders Foundation feed about 40,000 people across the area for the 46th year.

“It’s really important for my husband and I to instill in our children that it’s important to give back,” Smith said. “Because we’ve been blessed with so much.”

You could say the giving attitude is contagious.

It’s bringing together Democrats and Republics — the mayor and governor — as well children and grownups hoping to teach their kids how to give to people in need. Malia Durham is an 8-year-old volunteer.

“I like volunteering and I also like helping people. It’s really nice to show that our community can help because some people don’t even have this stuff,” Durham said. “At least we get to do this every year.”

“We need to show our youth that sharing is caring,” Malia’s father, George Durham, said.

The meals went out the door for delivery to people across the Indianapolis area. Volunteers also worked at 39 other central Indiana locations.

When Tricia heads back to Kentucky, she said, that giving spirit will be even stronger.

“Our children and I, we’re already thinking of ways that we can help our local community throughout the year,” she said.

The foundation is still looking for donations. They need about $12,000 dollars to reach their end of the year goal to keep giving meals to Hoosiers. You can donate on their website.