Annual Thanksgiving dinner at sub base

GROTON, Conn. (WTNH) -- They fought hard to serve our country and this Thanksgiving they can put up their feet and be served in return.

The SUBVETS Club in Groton is holding its annual Thanksgiving dinner, but they're first delivering hundreds of meals to those on-duty or home-bound.

"Hot bird coming through. Watch yourself."

They're on a mission at the SUBVETS Club in Groton.

"Dispatch probably goes with security."

The Thanksgiving day operation is in full swing, volunteers preparing and packing up meals for more than 500 folks, some who can't leave their homes and others who can't leave work like Ledyard police.

"No thank you. You're welcome. Appreciate it."

Serving those who are serving the community.

"We don't get a chance to get home during the day at all," said Sgt. Scott Peterson, Ledyard Police, "so it's nice to at least get something, to eat some good food."

These folks deliver to the subase along with several police departments.

"Yes we do," said Shirley Patenaude, volunteer. "We got to stay on the good side."

And with the meal; turkey, all the fixings, plus dessert, they certainly will. However, the real reason for the effort mirrors more than the holiday.

"My way of giving back to the community and being able to serve," said Liam Matthis, volunteer. "This is what I am thankful for, for my family."

"You look forward to this every year and it's a big family," said Patenaude.

The effort doesn't end when the meals go out the door. They clear the tables and then set them because they have several hundred people who then come to the subvets club for their Thanksgiving day meals.

A day of giving thanks and a day of sharing.

"Like I told the boys there, I got a couple of neighbors here that I think I'm going to deliver some of these meals to," said Herb Horne, veteran.

That's the spirit.