Selma City Councilman Michael Johnson prepared Thanksgiving dinner for the public on Thursday, Nov. 22.

Throughout the day, many gathered into the Selma Avenue Sports Bar and Grille that Johnson owns the building where Thanksgiving was served.

“We have been doing this for five years,” said Johnson. “We missed last year, but on my seventh year as a council member, I just wanted to give back. God has been good to me, and I just wanted to give back.

“I own this, but we closed down after some incidents,” he said. “I opened this spot in 2011.”

Johnson said the food was served earlier than expected.

“Our plan was to get started at 11 a.m. and we got started after 10 a.m.,” he said. “We have had about 200 so far (at noon), and before the day is over we are hoping to see maybe 250 or 300.”

Johnson said the volunteers went through 12 turkeys, plates of dressing, macaroni and cheese, peach cobbler, collard greens, potato pies and corn.

“I had eight people come in and volunteer and work with me,” he said. “I take my hats off for the people that served and that donated and cooked some things. Everything came from volunteers. We are blessed and grateful for this. It means a lot and does my heart good especially on my birthday.”