TUCSON (KGUN9-TV) - The Community Christmas Meal is a local event rooted in tradition and made-up of the giving spirit. On Friday, Christmas day, The Salvation Army put on their annual meal at the Tucson Convention Center.
"It's important to know that you're doing something nice for others," said 14-year-old Ella Maltzman.
Ella - just one of the about 200 volunteers who got the food and decorations ready for Friday's event.
"These people take away from their day... their Christmas morning... They get up and they come here," explained Shawn Kroh with the Salvation Army, Tucson. "And spend half the day just doing this for these people that are in the community that don't have anybody to do this for them,"
The doors opened at 10:30 a.m. Friday morning and volunteers served up the food at 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.
U.S. Representative Martha McSally also came out to lend a helping hand by serving food with the other volunteers. McSally said she thought this event was the perfect way for people to remember the true spirit of the season.
"Christmas is about the things that don't cost anything," McSally said. "Which is community, love, peace joy, fellowship, compassion and loving one another.
The community event feed about 2,000 meals here in Tucson and for Ella, she felt that the smiles of the people she helped was her Christmas present this year.
