Core 209 Athletic Performance is conducting a special boot camp for all comers on Saturday, Nov. 11, where the cost is the donation of a turkey — or cash donation — to make sure struggling families in Manteca, Ripon, and Lathrop have a traditional Thanksgiving meal.
It is part of the 23rd annual Turkeys R Us Drive that needs to collect 1,700 turkeys in the next 18 days to make sure no one in the three communities goes without on the traditional day of thanks. Of those turkeys, 200 are needed for the annual community Thanksgvining Day meal the Manteca Rotary coordinates at Mt. Mike’s that served 1,400 meals last year including deliveries to shut-ins and complete meals sent to sites in Ripon and Lathrop.
Core 209 Athletic Performance, 17960 Ideal Parkway in the industrial area off East Highway 120 just outside of Manteca’s eastern city limits is inviting all members and non-members to participate. Frozen turkeys or cash donations dropped off between 8 and 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 11, will allow the donor to participate in a boot camp at 8:30 a.m. that day.
Every fitness level is welcome. For more information call 209.923.0871.
The improving economy means food banks in Manteca, Ripon, and Lathrop need less help this year for families at Thanksgiving,
Even so, there is still a need for 1,700 turkeys — 150 less than last year — with 18 days left before they need to be distributed to 24 food closets serving the three communities.
As of Monday the Turkeys R Us drive had one donated turkey and $390 in donated cash to buy an additional 26 turkeys.
The turkeys — or cash to buy them — are needed by Nov. 20 to make sure fixings for the traditional meals can make their way to families in need by Thanksgiving.
Second Harvest spokesperson Jessica Vaughn said the majority asking for help this Thanksgiving are the working poor, retired people on fixed income who are seeing health care costs and other expenses eat up their pensions, and people caught in unexpected emergencies such as losing their home in a fire or major medical costs not covered by insurance.
The request for help from such households that often don’t ask food closets for help goes up during the holidays due to increased heating costs and other expense plus the fact job jobs that involve seasonal work tied into construction and agriculture slow down just as Thanksgiving hits.
Frozen turkeys can be dropped off at Second Harvest Food Bank at 704 E. Industrial Park Drive in Manteca Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monetary donations can be made online at www.localfoodbank.org or dropped off or mailed to Second Harvest ; Coldwell Banker Crossroads Real Estate, 250 Cherry Lane, Suite 105, Manteca, or Beacon Realty 211 E. Center St., Manteca.
If you have questions contact the food bank at 239.2091 McNabb at 815.6754, or Bev Housden who helped launch the first effort 23 years ago at 823-8141.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com