The community opened their hearts and their pocketbooks to make sure 1,850 struggling households in Manteca, Lathrop, and Ripon will have the fixings for a traditional Thanksgiving meal on Thursday.
The Turkeys R Us effort received $2,830 and 58 frozen birds Monday or the equivalent of 246 turkeys.
That brought the total to 2,015 turkeys or 165 more than was needed to meet the Thanksgiving need.
It gives Turkeys R Us a strong start on the effort to help those same 1,850 households at Christmas. The Christmas meal drive tends to not be as expensive as a large portion of the main courses supplied will be hams that have a lower cost than turkeys.
Turkeys R Us will continue accepting turkeys, cash donations or hams to meet the Christmas need.
Among those stepping up Monday was New York Diamonds owner Patty Reece.
When she read in the Bulletin the effort was short and needed 81 turkeys  by 5 p.m. Monday to make sure they could be delivered to food closets that distribute items in time for Thanksgiving, Reece decided she wasn’t going to let any families go without. She wrote out a check for $1,000 and drive to the Turkeys R Us collection point at Second Harvest Food Bank to make sure they had the last turkeys needed for Thanksgiving covered.
Reece through New York Diamonds has been a consistent generous backer of various community. endeavors. Reece, as an example, has helped sponsor police canines for Manteca Police to use on patrols.
Turkeys R Us effort has made it possible for many people who seek out assistance only during the holidays  to have a traditional Thanksgiving and Christmas meal for their families including single working moms, dual income households that have lower paying jobs, those that rely on seasonal work such as farm jobs, and senior citizens.
Donations of either turkeys, hams. or money can be dropped off to the Second Harvest Food Bank that is helping coordinate the effort. The food bank is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 704 Industrial Park Drive in Manteca, phone (209) 239.2091.
Check donations are also being accepted at Crossroads Real Estate at 250 Cherry Lane in Manteca, (209) 823-8141 or LeAnne McNabb with Beacon Real Estate, 211 E. Center St., Suite 5, (209), 815.6754.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com