Every year, it’s the same thing.

Thanksgiving and the holiday season arrive, and again the people of our area open their wallets and pocket books to help those less fortunate than we are.

It’s impossible to list every action or event, big and small, that assists others.

We looked at some recent pages in the Daily Sentinel and came up with some highlights. If we leave some group or individual out, please forgive.

We spotted a picture of Hanna Bretscher carrying a 25-pound turkey to an oven at Rome Rescue Mission. The mission will distribute turkey dinners to some 1,000 families.

Workers and staff at the local business Rizio & Calandra Plumbing/Excavating Inc. saw that the Rome Rescue Mission was short 1,000 turkeys to help feed people in need for Thanksgiving, they — and a host of other small businesses — worked together, raising the funds to purchase 400 turkeys.

In 2020, the staff at Rizio & Calandra also sprung into holiday action, seeing a swelling of need in the area because of pandemic hardships.

“In 2021, we saw that need was still there, and will always be there. So for the second year, through our Facebook Business page, https://m.facebook.com/romeplumber/, we put a post out there calling on small businesses/ individuals from our community to match our donation,” the company said in a statement.

Of course, there’s also the Salvation Army, which kicked off its 2021 Red Kettle Campaign at Market 32, 1790 Black River Blvd. Again, the bells are ringing. Last year, kettles raised $115,000 in the Rome community.

In the Oneida area, the Church on the Rock and the Oneida Rotary partnered together after the COVID-19 pandemic hit to help feed people in the community for Thanksgiving. Oneida Rotary would typically hold a Thanksgiving Luncheon for the community at the Kallet Civic Center, while Church on the Rock normally holds an annual turkey giveaway. Together, they provided families with a turkey, roasting pan, all the fixings, and even dessert to ensure a happy Thanksgiving.

People helping people. That’s what it’s all about.