Dallas Mavericks host annual turkey giveaway

DALLAS - The Dallas Mavericks started the season of giving with the team's annual turkey giveaway. 

The Mavs players who took part in Wednesday’s holiday giveaway really put a smile on people’s faces.

This is the sixth year that the Dallas Mavericks have teamed up with Kroger for the Mavs Turkey Giveaway.

Some 300 families served by Buckner International, a faith-based nonprofit, were each given an entire Thanksgiving meal complete with a turkey and all the fixings. 

People were extremely grateful for the food and celebrity interaction.

"Honestly, I feel very blessed," said recipient Ruby Martinez. "It’s very nice for their part to come out on their day off and come out and help the community. It’s very big from their part."

"Whenever I was a little kid, I wasn’t in a very fortunate situation to have a lot of turkey, a lot of sides, a lot of food at the table," said Mavs player Derek Lively II. "For me to give back, it means a lot to me just to make a little bit of a difference in somebody’s day."

The famed Maniacs were also on hand to entertain people as they waited in line. 

One woman in line said the event made her forget her financial troubles for a bit. She left with food and a bunch of autographs.