“True Lies ”Holiday Reunion! Arnold Schwarzenegger and Tom Arnold Reteam to Hand Out Thanksgiving Turkeys

The former costars were among the volunteers who gave away 1,000 turkeys to local L.A. families this week

The holidays are a time for giving back to the community and reconnecting with old friends — and if you’re a celebrity, former costars.

This week, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Tom Arnold did both at the 43rd Annual Miracle on 1st Street Turkey Giveaway and Tree Lighting Ceremony at the Hollenbeck Youth Center in Los Angeles. The Tuesday, Nov. 26 event turned into a spontaneous True Lies reunion, when the film’s stars both showed up to hand out turkeys and kick off the festive season.

Schwarzenegger, 77, and Arnold, 65, costarred alongside Jamie Lee Curtis in the 1994 action comedy, in which Schwarzenegger played a secret agent and Arnold a member of his team.

Related: Arnold Schwarzenegger Opens Up About Life, Family and Work Now: 'I Feel Good Where I Am' (Exclusive)

The pair were photographed at Tuesday’s turkey giveaway with one of the frozen birds, with the former California governor sporting a jacket with state’s gubernatorial seal on the front.

Volunteers at the event reportedly handed out 1,000 turkeys as well as bags of tortillas, fruits, carrots, potatoes and onions to local families.

According to local news outlet the Boyle Heights Beat, the former California governor said the annual event has been a tradition for him for more than three decades.

“I had such a great time,” Schwarzenegger said of the first time he participated in the turkey giveaway. “It made me feel so good, that every year since then, I’ve been doing this.”

Related: The Cast of True Lies: Where Are They Now?

“To me, it’s a great, great pleasure to donate the turkeys again … because I know this whole season is about sharing,” he added. “I love America and America greeted me, as an immigrant, with open arms.”

Arnold, who was accompanied by his children, remarked on the number of people lined up for the event.

“As we were pulling up, I said to my daughter, ‘It looks like a Taylor Swift concert,’ ” he told the Boyle Heights Beat. “People are lined up around the block. It’s a good feeling. It’s good to be involved in this sort of thing for so many years. We have a lot of fun and we appreciate the Hollenbeck folks.”

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 

Schwarzenegger, who also lit up the center’s Christmas tree, reflected on his first Thanksgiving in the U.S. “When I came to America in 1968, I didn’t even know what Thanksgiving was,” he said. “People from the gym just came to my empty apartment and they brought sheets, silverware, dishes and food and a radio. The generosity of the American people was so extraordinary. I’ll always remember those things."