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16 singers lined up for Friday’s ‘turkeyoke’
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

Sixteen of what are being billed as Manteca’s best singers are going to sing to help make sure 1,000 struggling families have a traditional Thanksgiving super.

They are part of the “Turkeyoke” singing contest being staged at the Second Harvest Food Bank on Vanderbilt Circle to benefit Turkeys R Us. The Friday, Nov. 22, event that starts at 6:30 p.m. includes dinner, a cash bar, and raffles to raise money to buy turkeys.

The singers are Matt Vaughan, The Zarates, Judi Horton, Toni and James Arkin, Johnny and Dakota, Joe and Gine Rosamond, Hector Diaz, Dennis and Renee Souza, Susan Costello, Anthony Parrot, Katie O’Leary, and Kim Kearney.

Tickets to the adult only event are $25 each. It will feature comedian Chris Teicheira as well as DJ Marquis of Marquis Entertainment. For tickets call the food bank at (209) 239-2091.

The Turkeys R Us drive is short 640 birds with six days to go to make sure no struggling families in Manteca, Ripon, and Lathrop goes without a traditional Thanksgiving dinner.

In a bid to cover the gap a slew of turkey drives are being conducted this upcoming weekend as well as a the “Turkeyoke” fundraiser on Friday at the Second Harvest Food Bank

The effort on Monday received 8 frozen turkeys and $40. Given birds can be bought for $15 apiece for the drive that brings the total to date to 360. 

One thousand turkeys are needed by this coming Monday for distribution to area food closets in order to be distributed in time for Thanksgiving. An additional 1,000 turkeys or hams will also be needed for Christmas.

Efforts to collect turkeys and cash for the effort that are underway or coming up include:

PRECISION AUTOMOTIVE THRU FRIDAY:  Precision Automotive, 475 Moffat Blvd., Manteca is collecting turkeys, cans and cash Monday through Friday.

DOCTORS HOSPITAL ON FRIDAY: Doctors Hospital of Manteca is staging a turkey drive on Friday, Nov. 22, from 7 a.m. until noon in front of the hospital at 1205 East North Street. They will accept turkeys, canned food and monetary donations.

STUFF THE BUS SATURDAY & SUNDAY: Stuff the Bus through the efforts of Manteca Transit takes place at the Manteca Food 4 Less on Spreckels Avenue from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 23, and Sunday, Nov. 24. Turkeys, cash, and canned goods will be accepted.

FILL THE FIRE TRUCK SATURDAY: The Manteca Firefighters Association on Saturday, Nov. 23, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Manteca Safeway on South Main Street.

CORE 209 SATURDAY: Core 209 Community Work Out takes place at their gym at 17960 Ideal Parkway from 9 to 11 a.m. with the price to participate being turkeys or cash.

CROSSFIT EXCEL SATURDAY: Crossfit Excel is conducting a workout turkey drive at the gym, 1433 Moffat Blvd., Manteca from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.

SPRECKELS LITTLE LEAGUE SUNDAY: The Spreckels Little League turkey drive for turkeys, cash and canned goods is Sunday, Nov. 24, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Brock Elliott School.

 The community for the past 21 years has delivered as Manteca has made sure all struggling families have a traditional holiday meal.

Frozen turkeys can be dropped off at Second Harvest Food Bank at 1220 Vanderbilt Circle off of  Industrial Park Drive in Manteca Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Money donations can be made online at www.localfoodbank.org or dropped off or at Second Harvest.

If you have questions contact the food bank at 239.2091.


To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com