More than 100 volunteers served a full turkey dinner with all the trimmings, plus desserts, at the annual Salvation Army Thanksgiving Day meal.

On the front lines, serving spoons in hand, were many first-time volunteers.

Brenda Newbern said she never had volunteered for a function such as the dinner before. Her reason for wanting to do so was simple.

"Wanting to give," Newbern said. "Just the feeling of what it's like ... to be able to give."

Also serving as volunteers for the first time were the Proctors. Tim and Jenny Proctor were filling plates, along their daughters, Lizzy and Abby.

Barbara Norton passes out rolls Thursday during Thanksgiving lunch at the Salvation Army in Cape Girardeau. (Laura Simon)

"I'm kind of impressed how they're holding up and they're keeping up," Jenny said of the girls. "We were a little bit worried, but they're doing great."

Jenny Proctor said their feelings of gratitude led them to help serve the meal.

"Well, I mean, we've just been blessed beyond measure this year," she said.

The crowd at the dinner was a bit thinner than usual, but Capt. Ronnie Amick of the Salvation Army said that was intentional.

"We offset the takeouts," Amick said. "We started those early so it wasn't so crowded."

Jonathan Lattimore says a silent prayer before his meal Thursday during Thanksgiving lunch at the Salvation Army in Cape Girardeau. (Laura Simon)

Including takeouts, more than 1,000 turkey dinners were served.

A couple hundred people had been served by about 11:30 a.m., Amick said.

Among them was Stephanie Fallin, who said the cranberry salad and dumplings were her favorite parts of the meal.

"I could do without the turkey," she said, "because it makes me tired."

Fallin, who started going through the Celebrate Recovery program 10 years ago, said she had a lot to be thankful for this year.

Bertha King shares a laugh while handing out carry-out orders Thursday during Thanksgiving lunch at the Salvation Army in Cape Girardeau. (Laura Simon)

"There's so much," Fallin said. "I'm thankful that we have such a loving Father that would do something to save the world from ... everything. Because I couldn't say that 10 years ago."

She said the group led her to discover she couldn't make it through her problems on her own.

"Things are a lot better now," she said.

kwebster@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3646

Pertinent address:

701 Good Hope St., Cape Girardeau, MO