AHOSKIE – Two local families in need enjoyed a Thanksgiving feast due to the generosity of a local organization.

On Monday morning, members of the XYZ Seniors Club busied themselves inside a room at the Ahoskie Nutrition Site arranging food items that were to be donated to one needy family each in Hertford and Bertie counties. Included in the items were a ham and a turkey (for each family), a bag of freshly picked collards, and bags of potatoes, along with other food products to complete a traditional Thanksgiving meal.

“This is the first year we’ve done something like this,” said Hazel Downing, President of the XYZ Seniors Club. “It was a way to give something back; to help those in our community that need help.”

“We may be senior citizens, but we’re still able to do for others,” chimed in Club Vice President Jennifer Sharpe. “We just wanted to help out in any way we could.”

Downing said the Club asked the Department of Social Services offices in both Hertford and Bertie to each select one family in need of a helping hand.

“We just get the food items together; DSS will pick it up and distribute them,” Downing noted.

DSS staffers collected the food items on Monday. Delivery was made in advance of Thanksgiving Day to allow the recipients to prepare the meal.

“Each of our 52 members bought at least one canned good item to be a part of this outreach,” said Sharpe. “We, the Club, purchased the turkeys, hams, collards, and potatoes.”

The Club will repeat this effort at Christmas, donating food items to two needy families. That will include giving each family a gift card to use to purchase toys for their children.

The Club, founded 42 years ago, meets the second Thursday of each month. Members are from Hertford and Bertie counties.