Many groups were giving back to those in need in the Florida Panhandle on Thursday.
In Mexico Beach, one of the hardest hit areas from Hurricane Michael, a family-run business out of Blountstown set up on the side of the road and gave out hot meals for Thanksgiving.
“A hot meal always feels like home. And that’s what this is for people, it’s home we all grew up at this beach,” said Matthias Schmarje, owner of the SandBar and Grille.
Schmarje’s restaurant is still too damaged to reopen, so in the meantime, they’ve served thousands in their community in the past month.
More than a month later, the devastation in Mexico Beach is still unimaginable.
But on Thursday, it’s not about what’s gone… it’s about what remains.
“Thankful for our families and friends and what we do have because in a blink of an eye it ould be gone tomorrow,” said Blountstown restaurant Jessica Hopkins.
Though many will go without a Thanksgiving dinner, or even a table for that matter, residents like Marlene Forgea still find reasons to be thankful.
“We were staying five weeks in Dothan in a hotel with my husband who can’t hear, two dogs and an outside cat. So we are grateful now to have a trailer so we can be a little more on the normal side of things,” she said.
The food was donated and prepared by people in Calhoun and Jackson County.
“Even though we are not from here necessarily, this is where we came and I want the Mexico Beach community to know we stand behind them,” said Schmarje.
