GILES COUNTY, Va. – A 19-year-old nursing student’s childhood vision has grown into an eight-year tradition of serving free Christmas dinners to her community in Giles County, Virginia.
Brianna Moser, now a student at Radford University, will host her eighth annual Community Christmas Dinner at the Pearisburg Fire Department on Christmas Day. The event, which begins at 3 p.m., welcomes anyone in need of a warm meal or companionship during the holiday.
Moser’s inspiration came from an eye-opening experience when she was just 11 years old. “I took a trip to New York City and saw a bunch of homeless people and you don’t really see that in our community. But I definitely knew people around here struggled,” Moser said. “We live in such a tight-knit community. I just didn’t want to see anybody hungry or lonely on Christmas.”
What started as a quickly organized dinner has become a meaningful community tradition. Moser recalls a particularly moving moment from her second year: “There was a family... they came in and they were like if you hadn’t had this today, we wouldn’t have ate. She was actually pregnant, and they walked all the way from Rich Creek.”
That experience reinforced her commitment to the project. “Whether it’s one person or two hundred people, I’m happy I can do it,” she added.
The annual dinner has become a family affair, with Moser crediting her relatives and friends for helping bring her vision to life. “My family is a huge help, my friends, it’s something that I look forward to every year,” she said. She hopes her initiative will inspire others to take similar action in their own communities.
Those interested in volunteering for this year’s dinner are encouraged to arrive at the Pearisburg Fire Department around 12:30 p.m. on Christmas Day, ahead of the 3 p.m. start time.