The Salvation Army spread Christmas cheer in downtown on Thursday, hosting its annual Christmas Community Meal that welcomed hundreds of community members for a free turkey meal.
The event drew dozens of volunteers who spent their Christmas Day serving those in need.
“You see the energy and the joy, said The Salvation Army’s Tucson Coordinator, Andres Espinoza. “We have close to 80 volunteers. You can feel the energy, the love, the caring for the community. It’s lovely.”
Warren Rustand, a longtime volunteer who has participated in the event for decades, was joined by about 20 of his family members on Thursday.
"So all of our children serve in different ways across the community, but we all come together on Christmas day to be here," Rustand said.
Long lines of people were treated to a complete turkey dinner with all the fixings, including pie for dessert.
The event offered more than just food. Attendees could also receive pet food if needed and enjoyed live performances throughout the afternoon. For many, the strongest takeaway was the sense of community connection.
"It's really awesome. Boy, I don't know, my heart feels really big," Ashley Roberts said.
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Madison Thomas joined KGUN 9 in July of 2023 as a multimedia journalist. She graduated from Arizona State University in May of 2023 with a degree in journalism and mass communication. She has lived in Arizona her entire life and grew up in Douglas. Madison is thrilled to share the stories from the community she grew up in. Share your story ideas and important issues with Madison by emailing madison.thomas@kgun9.com or by connecting on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook.
