A pickup truck pulled up outside the Ironton City Mission Tuesday afternoon, loaded with turkeys.

City Mission Director James Cremeans opened the back door and in a matter of minutes, 80 turkeys were waiting in boxes in the mission's back hallway.

Employees at Applied Card Systems in Russell, Ky,. donated the turkeys to the Ironton facility and to organizations in Kentucky as well.

Cremeans said most of the turkeys will be used to prepare the mission's annual Thanksgiving dinner for the needy.

"Last year we served 435 meals. We use about 500 pounds of turkey to do it," Cremeans said. "Other turkeys we'll give out to families in the area."

Cremeans said he is grateful that Applied Card employees donated the food and helped make it possible for the mission to fulfill its role as a haven of help for needy families in the community.

"I thank them for making it possible for us to be a place where we can feed and care for those in a time of need," Cremeans said. "I want to show the love of the Lord in my heart toward other people, and reflect His love through me."

Applied Card employees donated more than 200 turkeys to Tri-State agencies. Associate Relations Coordinator Kim Lewis said the employees look forward each year to helping deliver the turkeys, knowing that they get to help others.

"It's a warm loving feeling we get doing this. It's really a big deal for us," Lewis said. "The people are so friendly when we see them and bring them the turkeys. We're all people and we've got to stick together."