A lot of smiles in downtown Windsor as 500 people walked away with their Christmas dinner.
Windsor police, including Chief Al Frederick, handed out about 500 turkeys, potatoes and canned vegetables to people waiting in line on Ouellette Ave and Pitt St on Friday as part of the 14th annual Mikhail Holdings Turkey Giveaway.
Doug Roberts was the first in line and was waiting since 8 p.m. Thursday.
"I always come early for the turkey drive," he says. "It is important for me, my wife and my kids to have a turkey dinner for Christmas because I'm on disability."
Eddie Dow says this means the world to him and his family.
"We are having a great Christmas this year full of good food, can't wait. Gonna be a better Christmas than we were expecting."
Windsor Police Chief Al Frederick hands out food in the Mikhail Holdings Turkey Giveaway. December 21, 2018 (Photo by AM800's Teresinha Medeiros)
Joe Mikhail with Mikhail Holdings says he's happy to help out.
"All in all, they are walking away each one, on average with about $60-$65 worth of food that would feed about 40 meals," he says. "So multiple that by 500 so we fed quite a few people."
It took about 45 minutes to hand out all the food.
Meanwhile, after witnessing people carrying their food in thin plastic bags, a local girl decided to do something about it.
Ryli Michalczuk,15, knits, bakes and makes crafts and sells them with proceeds used to purchase reusable bags.
"It kinda opened my eyes to see that some people don't have as much as we have," she says. "It helps you to feel like you achieved something and helped other people. It might be in a small thing but it just makes you feel good to do something so good."
Another holiday turkey giveaway took place with local philanthropist Sam Sinjari handing out food at the Unemployed Help Centre.
A long lineup of people are waiting to receive their annual Christmas dinner thanks to Mikhail Holdings @AM800News #cklw. pic.twitter.com/eHGgZXTC7e
— Teresinha Medeiros (@tmedeiros800) December 21, 2018