For the next week, School District 51 classrooms will be empty.

Its Thanksgiving break and one local church celebrated early with students and staff at R-5 High School.

Every Friday, First United Methodist Church gives free lunch to R-5 high school, but today was a little different.  Volunteers served hundreds of people a traditional turkey dinner.

The church invited the entire school and has been cooking for days.  This is the first time it’s done a Thanksgiving feast this big.  

Every time the church feeds R-5 its goal is to make them feel safe and welcome.  It’s grateful this thanksgiving, to be able to serve the school.

“We want them to succeed and if giving them warm meal once a week helps them out then that's awesome,” meal coordinator, Chancey Garza, said. “What our volunteers get back in return is just beyond anything we could have ever imagined.”

First United Methodist Church only started serving R-5 this school year and is excited about the new relationship.

The church plans to continue the tradition, hopefully serving even more students a Thanksgiving lunch next year.