Preparations are underway as Old Savannah City Mission gears up for its signature event, the Eleventh Annual Day of Great Thanksgiving. As anticipation grows city-wide and beyond, the big day is scheduled for November 22nd in Forsyth Park.

For the third consecutive year, Wiley McCrary, owner of Wiley's Championship BBQ and winner of multi-state awards, will lead teams of volunteers in preparation of 250 turkeys.

Last year, more than 500 volunteers descended on the park to serve 3,452 meals. Many of the volunteers include community leaders and local politicians who enjoy serving up the special meals to whom the mission calls "friends and neighbors."

Volunteers are essential to the Mission¿s year-round operations, however, the Day of Great Thanksgiving makes an emphatic statement for the vital role played by volunteers.

"This event occasions an opportunity to bring unity to the community," says Reverend Jim Lewis, Executive Director of Old Savannah City Mission.

"People who live parallel lives throughout the year meet face to face and share a meal. The Mission believes healing of our community can only come through relationships. Homeless, innercity, poor and marginalized people intermingle with the suburban, and more affluent members of society."

Wiley McCrary aka "The General" and his wife, Janet will organize and coordinate the participation of many of Savannah's finest restaurants and caterers, including Savannah Technical College, The Mansion on Forsyth Park, The Lady & Sons, Savor Savannah Catering, The Chatham Club, Blowing Smoke BBQ and Paul Kennedy Catering.

Old Savannah City Mission aspires to be "Savannah's Five Star Gospel Rescue Mission" with high standards, strong boundaries and clear direction. Its mission is to change lives through proclaiming the Gospel, feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, rehabilitating the addict, and restoring the exoffender. In 2007 the mission provided 122,074 meals and more than 27,000 shelter beds without one dime of tax payer funds.

The Mission is a Savannah based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. A staff of seven employees is augmented by residential students in the Mission¿s recover program and hundreds of volunteers who deliver services to the community's most vulnerable and needy citizens in a highly cost effective way.

To learn more, log on to www.oscm.org or call Jim Lewis or Connell Stiles at 912-232-1979.