It was supposed to be over at noon, but the last box of chicken was not placed into a car until after 6 p.m.

“We just couldn’t stop it,” said Chuck Underhill of House of Raeford. People waiting that long needed it.”

House of Raeford’s Community Chicken Sale 2.0 drew long lines of vehicles from east and west and north and south. Cars on meeting Street were backed up from the distribution point at Capitol Square on Sunset Boulevard to Ninth Street. On Sunset the string of cars went down as far as Botanical Parkway. More cars were lined up on the Gervais Street Bridge.

The tenders, wings, thighs and drumsticks were sold in 40-pound boxes at a fraction of supermarket prices; from 25-cents-to-a-dollar-a pound.

Underhill said some picked up boxes for as many as five families.

“We’re thankful that were were able to help,” said Underhill. “He said a lot of people are worried about not have a job because of the coronavirus crisis after so many businesses have been shut down by the governor.

Underhill also thanked the police.

“The West Columbia Police Department did a great job,” said Underhill. “They were here all day controlling traffic. I thank Mayor Tem Miles and the city, too.”