The charitable efforts of Ellerbe’s Warner family for Thanksgiving every year nearly ground to a halt in 2009 after back surgery sidelined the clan’s patriarch, but church and community have stepped in to save the annual feast.

For the better part of a decade, residents of Ellerbe, Norman and Derby have been treated to a free Thanksgiving dinner following the Farmer’s Day Parade at the Ellerbe Lion’s Club courtesy of the Warner family.

The able-bodied have been welcomed to come while the elderly who are too ill to attend could count on a plate being delivered at no charge.

The adult Warners have cooked and prepared the main courses and driven the deliveries, and the younger family members have served the guests in what has become a tradition the entire family looks forward to, according to family matriarch Peggy.

“We started this for the seniors, because a lot of them did have family that had to move away for jobs, because there’s nothing here that really pays anything,” Peggy explained. “We just got to thinking about it, and a lot of times they can’t come home for the holidays, so at least if these folks can’t eat with their family, they can eat with their friends and people that they know.”

“Then there are people that just can’t afford it and we welcome them, too.”

However, Jimmy Warner underwent back surgery in February, which has prevented him from returning to work and put the family’s tradition of giving over the Thanksgiving holiday in jeopardy.

“In the past, we’ve done this by ourselves and the community has donated the drinks and desserts and things like that,” Peggy said. “But this year, we weren’t going to be able to because of Jimmy’s back and him being out of work and the economy being the way it is, but the church and the community have really stepped up I’m glad to say it looks like we’re going to be able to do it again.”

Much of the private donations to the meal have come from the Warners’ church family at Southside Free WIll Baptist of Ellerbe.

“This is something that seniors love, and it’s something that people in the community really look forward to,” Southside Pastor Ricky Jacobs said. “We wanted to do whatever we could to help, and a lot of people in the church have really gotten behind this.”

While these newcomers are doing their fair share, Jacobs said the important thing is “to keep Brother Jimmy’s dream going.”

“He’s the one who really had the vision for this, and we just wanted to help make sure he could still do it even though he had to have the surgery and hasn’t been able to work,” Jacobs said. “Some may ask, what do we have to benefit from this, but the Bible teaches us that when we share our love with a brother in need we are keeping the Lord’s commandments.”

He contemplated the mountains that could be moved “if every church stepped up and got involved with something like this.”

“We just want to give folks a meal, and share our love, and God’s love, with the community,” Jacobs finished his train of thought.

Peggy said the thought of not being able to do the meal “was just breaking our hearts, but thanks to the giving of people in the community and at Southside, things will run the same as always with the young Warners serving what the elder family members cook.

“We’re still going to do all the cooking, serving and delivering, but if it hadn’t been for the church we just couldn’t have done it this year,” she said. “Really, maybe it will mean a little more this year because it has really been a community effort.”

Those who need a plate delivered to their home due to a medical condition can call Peggy or Jimmy at (910) 652-0237 or (910) 652-2616, but need to be in contact by Nov. 19 to ensure enough food will be prepared for them.

Those who can get to town safely need only report to the Lion’s Club following the parade, and aren’t required to bring anything but their appetites.

As for next year, the Warners are already praying for a way to pull a miracle two years in a row.

“We never promise we can do it the next year, because you just never know if you’ll be able to,” Peggy said. “But if there is any way we can, we’ll do it again next year. This is something we love to do as a family.”

Staff Writer Philip D. Brown can be reached at (910) 997-3111 ext. 32, or by e-mail at pbrown@yourdailyjournal.com.