FAIRHOPE, Ala. (WKRG) — The Veterans of Foreign Affairs in Fairhope hosted a Thanksgiving meal for veterans, their families and anyone in the community that did not have a place to go.

Ed Bican, a Vietnam Veteran, moved to Fairhope from Chicago years ago, leaving the rest of his extended family up north. He said he was thrilled to have somewhere to go for Thanksgiving.

“It’s good to get together,” Bican said “It should be more often I feel, but its good to have the veterans together.”

The VFW provided turkey, ham and lots of traditional thanksgiving sides, and many brought a delicious dessert to share.

Candy Lambers is a Fairhope resident and she told WKRG that her family is in northern Mississippi. If it weren’t for such a great community, she said, she would have spent the holiday alone.

“I’m fixin to go back there and get me some ham, green bean casserole and some peach cobbler,” Lambers said.

And Thanksgiving is a time to come together and give, and local veterans and residents did just that for the holiday.

James Willis, a Veteran and volunteer at the VFW, spent all morning preparing the meal.

“Only thing I can tell you is it’s a lovely day, and we are doing this for our veterans and we are just trying to have everybody happy,” Willis said.

This was the very first time the VFW has hosted a Thanksgiving meal, and they want to carry on this tradition in years to come.