Central Valley Association Realtors — keeping with the tradition of caring for their neighbors started by two of their own 17 years ago — have given Turkeys Us a big boost to make sure 1,600 struggling families in Manteca, Ripon, and Lathrop will have traditional holiday meals both at Thanksgiving and Christmas.
The real estate professionals group presented Turkeys R Us with a $6,500 check to help with both holidays. Not only did it help complete the drive for Thanksgiving turkeys but it knocked off 400 of the 1,600 turkeys or hams needed for Christmas.
The association adopted the lead of Sue Teunissen and Gail Fletcher by adding making sure no one in the communities they serve went without during the holidays to their other endeavors helping non-profits.
Turkeys R Us started 18 years ago when Teunissen along with  Fletcher read in the Manteca Bulletin there was a shortage of turkeys at Thanksgiving. They got other people in the office and friends to donate 40 turkeys and delivered them to the food bank.
They thought they had covered the need only to be told they were still 1,000 turkeys short.
They then decided not to let a holiday season go by without making sure everyone in the greater Manteca, Ripon, and Lathrop community had a traditional Thanksgiving and Christmas meal.
“I wouldn’t have felt right knowing neighbors in my community were going without while I sat down to a Thanksgiving dinner with my family,” Teunissen said seven years ago.
For the past 17 years Turkeys R Us has met that goal with the help of hundreds in the community.
 The effort so far has collected 2,000 turkeys — enough to cover the need at Thanksgiving and 400 to go toward the 1,600 turkeys or hams needed for Christmas.
Turkeys R Us coordinator Jessica Vaughn noted hams are being included in the mix for Christmas as they cost less than turkeys. Also, stores tend not to run as good of price promotions on turkeys during Christmas.
 Turkeys R Us volunteer community coordinator LeAnn McNabb will pick up checks if she is contacted at her cell at 815-6754.
If you can assist Turkeys R Us, contact the Second Harvest Food Bank at 239-2091.
Second Harvest will accept frozen turkeys or hams from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday at the 704 E. Industrial Park Drive location in Manteca.
Donations can also be dropped off at Crossroads Real Estate at 250 Cherry Lane, Suite 105, in Manteca.