They wanted to give to the families who needed it most, but they weren’t sure how.

Graduates from Alexander High School returned to Brookhaven in July for their annual reunion. An idea was sparked among the graduating class of 1968.

“We had our class reunion and we all decided we wanted to give back,” AJH graduate Margie Butler said. “We all wanted to give back to the community we had come from.”

Butler lives in Jackson and her classmates have spread out all over the country — some as far away as California and Michigan. The idea was to supply Thanksgiving dinner to the families who needed it most, but they didn’t know how to find them.

So they decided to contact the Department of Human Services office in Lincoln County.

“That’s the best way,” Butler said. “They know the families that really need it.”

So Butler and her classmates got to work. Some sent money and others sent cans or turkeys. On Monday, the collection was complete and Butler and several of her classmates met at the DHS building on Cherokee Street to make their delivery.

The group was able to supply 10 meals — with turkey and stuffing, cake mix and yams.

“Everything used for Thanksgiving, that’s what we had,” Butler said.

Butler said it felt great to help out her hometown, and the group is planning to do it again on Christmas, with more food boxes and gifts, too. Butler hopes to be able to reach more families and is asking for help, both from other AHS classes and the community at large. She can be reached at 601-951-5856.