The Tablecloth of Gratitude

When I was a child, Thanksgiving began with an old bedsheet.

My mother would spread it across the table, and my siblings, cousins, and I would spend hours transforming that ordinary sheet into something extraordinary. Handprints became turkeys. We drew the Mayflower, pilgrims, football teams, and whatever else our imaginations could create.

It was our Thanksgiving tablecloth. Used once, filled with memories, and replaced with a fresh bedsheet the following year.

Looking back, I wish we had saved a few.

Both of my parents are gone now, along with many of those aunts and uncles who gathered around that table. As the years pass, I find myself increasingly grateful for the people who helped shape my life and the things we’ve built together.

And that brings me to you.

When I think about Victory Lane, I see another Thanksgiving tablecloth. Only this one has been created over years, with countless hands leaving their marks.

Some of you have been here since the beginning. Others joined us through camps, car shows, roller skating parties, and countless moments of serving families. Each of you has added something beautiful to the story.

You’ve helped create something that feels like family.

A family that celebrates together, serves together, and walks alongside one another through life’s joys and challenges.

As Paige and I reflect on this Thanksgiving season, we’re reminded that the greatest gifts aren’t the things we keep. They’re the relationships we build and the lives we touch.

And as Victory Lane expands across Indiana, there will be new families, new friendships, and new handprints added to our story.

Our history is precious, but because of you, our future is filled with hope.

From Paige and me, thank you for leaving your handprint on Victory Lane.

Happy Thanksgiving!

By Brett Fischer, Founder of Victory Lane Camp