Last Christmas marked ten years since Vicksburg native Erin Hern began quietly leading a group of volunteers around Warren County feeding local first responders and medical workers during the holidays. Following the 2023 event, Hern said she was stepping away in order to focus on her busy family life and hoped others within the group would take up her mantle. 

That’s exactly what happened in 2024.

“Erin is the one that started this and she’s been doing it for 10 years,” Blaine Butler said. “This year, I stepped in, along with Lurline Simmons, and a bunch of other volunteers.”

Butler said this year’s group continued the tradition of providing food for workers at Merit Health River Region Hospital, the Vicksburg Police Department, the 911 dispatch, the Vicksburg Fire Department and the Warren County Sheriff’s Office.

“We provided food for every floor of the hospital and were set up in two locations inside the hospital,” Butler said. “For the firefighters, we took it all to the central fire station and they could come by as they could.”

Butler also said local restaurants became involved in this year’s event and made a big difference for all involved.

“This year, it was a little bit different. We got a lot of the local restaurants involved. They provided the majority of the meals this year. That’s not to say volunteers didn’t provide as well, because they certainly did. We just handled everything a little differently, mostly due to timing this year.”

Local restaurants involved in this year’s event included: 10 South Rooftop Bar & Grill; Beechwood Restaurant and Lounge; Triple J’s; Goldies Express; the Exchange Club of Vicksburg; Brick Street Market; Foam Packaging, Inc.; Don Ho’s BBQ & Grill; Chick-fil-A; and Southern Cooking Done Right.