Thanksgiving brings reprieve in Ferguson protests

This Thanksgiving, Ferguson residents say they are still looking at the good side of things and feeling "thankful" despite the violence and negativity. VPC

(Photo: Jewel Samad, AFP/Getty Images)

FERGUSON, Mo. — After days of turmoil, Ferguson found a semblance of normalcy on Thanksgiving Day, a reprieve after days of violence and protests that unsettled this town.
Hundreds of protesters had gathered late Wednesday for a third straight night outside the Ferguson Police Department following the announcement that a grand jury would not indict police officer Darren Wilson for the shooting death of Michael Brown. But on Thursday, Florissant Road, the main street in Ferguson's downtown, was mostly empty except for a handful of city residents and other volunteers who painted on the drab plywood boards that now cover many of the businesses here.
"It was important to me to get the kids out just to do something positive," said Becky Kern-Ryan, 38, who watched as her 10-year-old-son and a neighbor's child painted a boarded-up Chinese restaurant. "We couldn't sit at home and just wait for other people to fix things."
People from Indiana and Ohio decided to forgo their own Thanksgiving plans with family and friends to travel here to see how they could help.
Among them was Alex Sheen of Cleveland, who painted plywood boards around the corner from Kern-Ryan and her son.
"I found myself complaining and angry about the looting," Sheen said. He drove eight hours overnight to get here from Cleveland early Thursday. "Complaining doesn't get much done."
Meanwhile, worshipers from the predominantly white congregation at St. Stephen's and the Vine Church joined worshipers at the predominantly African-American congregation of Wellspring Church for an ecumenical service and a Thanksgiving lunch.
"After 100-some days of protest, it's good to connect with family and in-laws and just do something different," said Rev. Willis Johnson, senior pastor of Wellspring Church.
Many of the activists that have taken to the streets over the last three months retreated to St. Luke AME Church in St. Louis for a Thanksgiving meal.
Cat Daniels, who is affectionately known as Mama Cat and has been cooking for protestors for the last three months, cooked up enough turkey, roast beef , giblet dressing to feed 250.
Daniels said it's been a difficult few days for her and her adopted family, but they would rebound.
"We're bruised but not broken," she said. "We understand that this is just the beginning."