While most people are lounging around the house enjoying football and appetizers this Thanksgiving, the men of Eta Tau Chapter of Theta Chi fraternity will be hard at work.

A group of Theta Chi members and their friends volunteer to prepare meals for the less fortunate every Thanksgiving. This year they will be working at the United Samaritans Foundation preparing the meals that will be served later that day on the lunch trucks.

Theta Chi's official philanthropy is the American Lung Association. They volunteer at local shelters on Thanksgiving Day just for the chance to make a difference in their local community. Chapter President Mike Skaria said the group gets bigger and bigger every year.

“We have been doing this for as long as I have been a member, and we had over 30 people help last year. We fill that place up and get the work done much quicker than they could have done it without help,” Skaria said.

The group starts work at around 8 a.m., when many of their fellow California State University, Stanislaus students are still asleep. They will slice pie, mash potatoes and put meals together for the lunch trucks to deliver at stops around the area.

“Our motto is 'an assisting hand,' we're fortunate to have what we do, and we want to help others,” Skaria said.

To contact Andrea Goodwin, e-mail agoodwin@turlockjournal.com or call 634-9141 ext. 2003.