Volunteers deliver more than Christmas dinner

NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — While many spent Christmas morning with family relaxing at home, members of the Little Chapel Church in Wrightsville Beach were hard at work.

A group of volunteers cooked, packaged, and delivered Christmas dinner for 80 people in the Cape Fear, who might have otherwise gone without.

“We find jobs everyone who wants to help us,” said Jean Schild.

To start the day, a small group came to the church to prepare the food, followed by another group who boxed the meals.

“Knowing that we can do something for someone else on Christmas is very special. That’s what Christmas is all about,” said Mila Hill.

After the meals were packed and ready to go, a third wave of volunteers came to deliver the meals.

“I really didn’t know what to expect,” said Ted Heinzman, who delivered meals with his wife and sister. “I thought they would just open the door, take it, and slam it in our face. But they were so thankful. Everyone asked us in, and gave us hugs, and said thank you so many times.”

Taken aback by the responses, the Heinzman family said this experience left them feeling extremely grateful.

“It is very humbling to realize how much we have. For a lot of these people, this is all they might have for Christmas,” said Suzy Heinzman.

This is the 25th year the Little Chapel Church has been part of the Meals on Wheels Program.