Scottsboro restaurant serves free Thanksgiving meals

This may become an annual tradition

Class for 2 days.

New at 5 - one jackson county restaurant stepped up this thanksgiving to feed people in the community - after a local church decided it wouldn't be able to host its traditional thankgsiving meal this year.

Waay 31's sophia borrelli went to scottsboro to see how they were able to feed so many people this holiday - while staying mindful of the coronavirus pandemic.

Byron and lynnette samples came to get a thanksgiving meal: "we think it's a wonderful thing for him to do but we wouldn't expect anything less out of him because he's just been just a great friend and a great man as long as we've known him."

Cars lined up in this small parking lot - waiting on a free thanksgiving meal from holy smokes bbq in scottsboro.

Nats of cars owner barry shelton told me this is the first time he served the free meals.

Barry shelton, owner holy smokes bbq: "there's another local church that usually does this and they didn't do it this year, so i went to my wife and said hey it's time for us to be able to step up and feed the community this time."

Because of the pandemic - the restaurant was closed inside and people could drive up and get a meal handed to them - without getting out of their car.

Barry shelton, owner holy smokes bbq: "we set up a little drive thru here, to get it to go where nobody comes in and we keep our social distancing as much as possible."

To help cover the cost of the meals - local churches stepped in to help and others donated money.

Joe moore, pastor parkway baptist church: "it's our way of being able to help as a church to go out to the public and outreach and help during this time to make it better."

Everyone was welcome to come get a free meal - including some long time customers.

Margaret hinkle, came to get a thanksgiving meal: "i'm thankful for my family and the food."

Sophia looklive: "the owner tells me he was ready to serve about 1,000 meals this thanksgiving and he said he is just grateful that people in the community are able to have a meal this thanksgiving."

Barry shelton, owner holy smokes bbq: "it means a lot to be able to do this for these folks because they support me and it's a time for us to be able to give back."

In scottsboro - sophia borrelli waay 31 news.

The owner says he will help the community next thanksgiving as well -