On Tuesday, seven families received the fixings for a Thanksgiving meal, thanks to the R.W. Fritzinger VFW Post 7215 Auxiliary of Walnutport.

Each family received a couple of boxes of food full with a turkey, ham and pie, as well as a list of other items gathered by the post over a series of collection dates.

But handing out food was the easy part.

During the collection stage, post members set up shop outside of Redner’s Warehouse Market in Northampton and Country Harvest in Palmerton.

Karen Bandzi, auxiliary president, and Mick Minnich, senior vice president, spent hours outside storefronts amassing a stockpile of Thanksgiving favorites and other food items, such as cereal, soup, spaghetti and applesauce.

On distribution morning, members of the post spent five hours sorting through food donations.

In Bandzi’s eyes, it was time well spent.

“It just makes us feel good knowing we can help someone out there who needs stuff,” she said.

“Knowing we’re out there helping the community, and anyone else who might need it — that’s what we’re worried about.”

Another volunteer at the post’s food drive was Sue Bortz, chaplain and trustee, who started serving with R.W. Fritzinger VFW Post 7215 Auxiliary after the death of her husband, a veteran.

She said she decided to start serving in the post to help veterans after seeing the effects warfare had on her son, Joseph, who was in the Army for eight years.

“I joined I guess to make other people realize what these kids went through when they went (to war),” Bortz said. “I saw what (my son) went through, and it was hard.”

Now, after serving with the post for seven years, Bortz was glad to assist in Tuesday’s food distribution. She said it was an opportunity to give families in need a chance to spend Thanksgiving together.

“It just gives you a good feeling though, I mean you’re actually seeing these people come in and they’re happy, and when they take the food they really appreciate it, which is nice,” Bortz said.