As families gathered across Georgia on Thanksgiving, one Covington woman spent the day honoring the holiday in the way her mother taught her: through food, fellowship, and unconditional love.

Monique Burkhalter, founder and CEO of the Love Thy Neighbor Community Empowerment Network, hosted her annual Thanksgiving banquet—feeding about 150 people facing hunger across Covington, including seniors, families, and people experiencing homelessness.

For Burkhalter, this act of service is deeply personal.

"She taught us acceptance. She taught us how to give in dignity," Burkhalter said of her mother. "She taught us how to love with dignity and grace."

Her mother, Pat, passed away in 2020 after battling Alzheimer's disease. One year later, Monique launched Mrs. Pat's Holiday Hug Banquet in Louisiana, naming it in her honor. In 2022, she brought the event home to Covington—where it has grown every year since.

A Thanksgiving banquet filled with her mother's favorite foods

This year, about 80 guests joined the sit-down banquet. Volunteers served plates directly to each person to make them feel catered to for the holiday.

And the menu? It's a tribute to Pat herself.

The feast included dishes she loved most—sweet potato pie, egg custard pie, and the star of the table: dressing with cranberry sauce.

"Her favorite was dressing and cranberry sauce," Burkhalter said. "So we have all her favorites, and then the ones she would have her girls bring."

Giving back beyond the banquet: Meals delivered across Covington

In addition to the banquet, volunteers spent the afternoon delivering meals to senior citizens and distributing food to people living on the street.

For Ashley Williams, who traveled from Florida to volunteer, the experience was humbling.

"There are so many people who have it harder than you," she said. "It makes you sit back and think, 'I am blessed to have what I have.'"

A "freestore" with clothes, blankets and essentials

Alongside the hot meals, guests also had access to a massive 400-pound free clothing and essentials section, filled with donated jackets, blankets, shoes, and accessories.

Burkhalter hopes to continue expanding the annual event—but says that depends on securing more donations.

Still, she believes her mother would be proud of how far the banquet has come.

"She would just grab me, lay my head on her chest, and tell me that God is pleased with my life," Burkhalter said.

A legacy of love that lives on

What began as a daughter's tribute has grown into a powerful community tradition—one that brings healing, hope, and dignity to people who need it most.

Through every plate served and every person warmed by a hot meal or a clean coat, Monique Burkhalter keeps her mother's spirit alive, turning loss into a legacy of service that continues to uplift Covington year after year.