NILES — On Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 28, Lawana Wortham, her husband, Mark, and their children will get up early to travel, not to a relative’s house, but to Niles High School’s cafeteria, 1441 Eagle St. in Niles.

There, at about 5 a.m., they will begin decorating the area with autumn decorations and preparing food for their first free community Thanksgiving meal from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Only after they serve meals to senior citizens, the financially struggling and those without a family to eat with will the Worthams go and celebrate a second time with family members.

“I wanted my family to do something for others first before we celebrate ourselves,” Wortham said. “We got to learn to give and not always sit back and receive. That’s what I want to put out to people. We’re just trying to give.”

The meal is first come, first serve. Wortham encourages those attending to come early, as she will have meals for about the first 200 to 250 people.

The meal will feature classic dishes often found on a Thanksgiving table: turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy boats, green beans, green bean casseroles, cakes, cookies and rolls.

“You can’t leave out the bread,” Wortham said with a laugh.

The idea for the meal was all Wortham’s. She said she felt it was on her to do something to help the homeless and senior citizens two years ago, but it was not until this year that she had the ability to. She and her family have helped host church service events, but this was the first event of their own.

Now, she said she will be able to personally help the community she and her family have been part of all their lives — Wortham is currently a security guard at Niles High School, while her husband is the school board’s vice president.

She said a free Thanksgiving meal on Thanksgiving Day would brighten the moods of many attendees, who might not have been able to celebrate it with others otherwise.

“This is the time of year, to me, that people get really depressed,” she said. “Thanksgiving, Christmas, it’s really a hard time for people.”

The Worthams are currently funding the meals themselves, but she said help was welcome.

“If people want to donate, they are more than welcome to donate towards the cause,” she said. “If they want to come in and donate some time, that is great as well. If they can do neither, we just ask that people keep us in their prayers [so] that we can do something good in our community.”

Those who wish to volunteer are welcome to come early in the morning to prepare food, Wortham said. Otherwise, coming at 11 a.m. to Niles High School to help serve and clean works as well.

Wortham is currently working to secure a 15-passenger van to transport senior citizens to and from the event, and she may need drivers for it, too.

Hosting the event at Niles High School was not Lawana’s first choice, but she, and principal Molly Brawley, are glad it ended up that way.

“When Lawana said her ‘Plan A’ for location was not going to work and she was in a bind, we discussed how we could help out this year by providing our kitchen and cafeteria,” wrote Brawley to the Niles Daily Star. “We are thankful that we have such caring people in our community.”

Prospective attendees, volunteers or donators can call Wortham for more information at (248) 906-8834.