Heat from the stoves, boiling water and volunteers scurrying filled the kitchen inside Bible Baptist Church on Thursday.
The smell of Thanksgiving - steaming potatoes, hot corn and carved turkey - permeated the air as more than a dozen people assembled the grub into aluminum containers for delivery. Children, middle-aged adults and soon-to-be grandparents cooked the meals for those required to work on the holiday - first responders.
They served the Cole County Emergency Medical Services, Missouri Capitol Police and the Jefferson City Police Department more than 60 pounds of turkey, 50 pounds of mashed potatoes, 15 jars of turkey gravy, 600 ounces of green beans, 600 ounces of corn, eight dozen rolls, 16 boxes worth of stuffing, 10 cans of cranberry sauce and 12 pies.
"They serve us, so we figured why not serve them?" said Jake Carlisle, assistant pastor at Bible Baptist Church.
For those who can sometimes have a thankless job, the Thanksgiving meals were a way for the church members to express their gratitude.
Carlisle volunteered along with his mother, father and wife. He said the police force is going through a challenging time in America, adding their roles can become defensive in certain situations.
For more than a year, law enforcement interactions with the public have made national headlines. Police have remained a part of a country-wide conversation since - from brutality to body cameras to trainings and tactics.
In a time the public-police relationship can appear to be "us versus them," Carlisle said their Thanksgiving gesture signaled a message of camaraderie between the two entities.
"We are all here for the same reason as far as trying to better our community, and if there's anything we can do to team up with them, we will," Carlisle said. "It's to show them we're here and we care, and to say, "Please reach out to us as much as we reach out to you.' It's just another way to show our thankfulness to them."
Nikki Richardson and her family, which includes four children, delivered 15 meals to the Jefferson City Police Department. For her children, the meal delivery was a lesson in selflessness, and bringing food to police added to the experience.
"They are our community helpers, our community servants," Richardson said. "... Anybody who does that kind of job is very honored and respected, and I want my kids to learn that that's a big deal that somebody is willing to do that."
NT Video:
Bible Baptist Church prepares Thanksgiving meal (time lapse)