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Holiday Turkey Drive Aims To Fill Area Need
Turkey drive pix
Scott McRitchie and Carla Strong have been active in the Riverbank community for many years volunteering and helping those in need. Donate a turkey, non-perishable food, or cash at the annual Turkey Drive on Patterson Road from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 18. VIRGINIA STILL/THE NEWS

Plan your holiday shopping and purchase an extra turkey, then visit the turkey and food drive at Galaxy Theatre and Les Schwab Tires on Patterson Road this Saturday, Nov. 18. Volunteers including students from Cardozo Middle School will be collecting turkeys and other non-perishable food donations from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

If you don’t have time to shop, volunteers will also take cash donations at the turkey drive and do the shopping for you. The food drive kicks off this weekend and runs for the next several weeks.

“We expect to feed 250 to 300 families during the distribution and will once again be delivering to disabled and seniors who register for home delivery,” stated Carla Strong, Riverbank Cares President. “This will be the eighth year that I’ve been involved in this project. Riverbank Christian Food Sharing and St. Vincent de Paul have both been working over 30 years to feed the needy in the community.”

The food drive will continue through Thursday, Dec. 21 with the distribution taking place Friday, Dec. 22 from 10 a.m. to noon at the city’s Community Center.

Drop off locations for non-perishable food are located at: City of Riverbank, Westamerica Bank, and O’Brien’s Market in Riverbank. Organizers have made it as easy as possible for you to help those less fortunate in the community; purchase a few extra groceries or donate a few dollars and help fight hunger.

This event is organized by the Riverbank Cares Organization in cooperation with Riverbank Christian Food Sharing, St Vincent DePaul, and Rotary Club of Riverbank.

Also, the Riverbank Rotary and Riverbank Christian Food Sharing are planning an inaugural Thanksgiving Feed the Homeless event, slated for Wednesday, Nov. 22.

For additional information, to donate, or if you or someone you know is in need this holiday season, contact the City of Riverbank at 209-863-7153 or Riverbank Christian Food Sharing at 209-480-6548.

“We all know how our families, friends and neighbors are struggling to make ends meet,” expressed Strong. “Embarrassing one’s self by dressing as a turkey is a small price to pay if we are able to encourage the spirit of caring that the people of Riverbank have for each other.

“Organizers of the Riverbank Cares hope that you will find a way to help ease the want that will be felt by so many this holiday season.”