After its most successful Thanksgiving dinner ever, local TV host Jake Sessions’ “Annual Up All Night Holiday Meal Program” enjoyed its best Christmas yet.

“We didn’t have nearly as many volunteers as we did for Thanksgiving and we were worried about donations at first,” said Bishop Darden, event coordinator. “But we got all of the food prepared on Christmas Eve and fed more people than we ever have on Christmas.”

Seventy-six volunteers prepared 584 plates for pickup at Cannon Street Elementary School’s cafeteria and 580 meals for delivery.

“Probably the main reason why we fed so many people this year is because the fact that so many of them have lost their jobs,” Darden said. “We fed mostly new faces this year.”

Volunteers cooked 50 turkeys and vegetables and served meals until 1 p.m. Christmas Day.

“We tried to get everyone out of there as soon as possible so they could be with their families,” Darden said. “Everyone did a great job, and we were pretty fast getting our deliveries out.”

Delivery locations included Troup County and Lafayette and Valley, Ala.

“We’d like to thank everyone who volunteered or donated,” Darden said. “It certainly made my Christmas a good one to see them feed all of those people in need.”

Sessions and Darden also plan to feed at least 350 people Jan. 19, on Martin Luther King Day at St. James CME Church at 106 Revis St.

“We still have 15 turkeys and five hams left from Christmas,” Darden said. “But we still need a lot of bread, desserts and drinks.”

Anyone wanting to donate or volunteer was asked to call (706) 884-6963, (706) 845-8833 Or (706) 881-4226.

Donations can be made at Lakes-Roberson Funeral Home, Parmer Brothers Grocery, Roots and Branches Beauty Salon or TV 33.

Kenneth Thompson can be reached at kethompson@ lagrangenews.com or (706) 884-7311, Ext. 228.