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For 38 Years, Bea Gaddy Center Has Provided Holiday Meals For Those In Need

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Bea Gaddy Family Center continues its annual tradition of providing hot holiday meals for those in need on Thanksgiving.

Bea Gaddy was an advocate for the homeless who started the annual dinner in 1981, using $250 of the money she won in the lottery to feed 49 of her neighbors on Thanksgiving.

Since then, her family and hundreds of volunteers have worked together to help feed thousands of people on Thanksgiving Day.

Some of them, like the Buffalo Soldier's Motorcycle Club, showed up in the dozens.

Bea Gaddy
(Bea Gaddy's 38th Thanksgiving Dinner)

The dinner was held at Patterson Park Recreation Center, located at 2601 E. Baltimore Street, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Volunteers arrived at 6 a.m. to prep meals.

They planned to serve thousands a hot meal, extra food, clothing or just company just how Bea Gaddy would have wanted it.

Bea Gaddy passed away 16 years ago, but her daughter, Cynthia Brooks, makes sure her mother's legacy lives on- making hungry people happy people, sharing a Thanksgiving meal.

And she should be proud to have pulled it off, after the event had funding issues all year.

"This dinner came together in seven days, last Tuesday we didn't have enough food to make this possible." Brooks said.

Thanks to last minute donations, the legacy of Bea Gaddy lives on through Cynthia's work.

Marco Romero knew Bea Gaddy when she was still serving this meal from her own kitchen.

"It's a blessing because she's still here, she's still around us, look around us she's here smiling, crying because she can be down here." Romero said.

And volunteers think she would be proud of the teamwork at Patterson Park on this day.

"It's a testament to what one person can do to make a difference and to bring that sense of warmth and community it's important so I'm proud to be a part of it." said Kolleen Kintz, a volunteer artist.

When its all said and done, more than a thousand volunteers will have helped gather supplies, prepare and serve the meal, delivering food to those in need or assisting with cleanup.

Some of them, like the Buffalo Soldiers Motorcycle Club, showed up in the dozens.

"They love us like we love them, it's an honor to be here right now, we have chapters all over the U.S. doing the same thing we are doing today." Glenn Williams said.

The organization is still looking for volunteers to help tomorrow and donations are always welcomed.

For information on how to volunteer for the Bea Gaddy Thanksgiving Dinner, click here.

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