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Turkeys R Us needs more help for Thanksgiving
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Manteca Rotary President Dana Solomon, left, presents a check for $750 for Turkeys R Us on behalf of the service club to Second Harvest Food Bank Executive Director Mike Mallory. - photo by GLENN KAHL

Raising just under $3,000 by this Wednesday will assure that 1,300 struggling families in Manteca, Ripon, and Lathrop will have a turkey for Thanksgiving.

Turkeys R Us as of Friday at 5 p.m. had raised $10,157 in donations plus received 105 actual turkeys from donors.

“We feel confident that we’ll have everyone covered for Thanksgiving,” said Sue Teunissen who helped launch the Turkeys R Us effort 12 years ago.

A large donation is expected Tuesday from the Manteca council of the Central Valley Association of Realtors. Teunissen and others are confident that the smaller donations that are critical will keep coming in from individuals and families to meet the Thanksgiving need and start building up funds to make sure the same 1,300 families have turkeys or hams at Christmas.

The turkeys need to be ordered by mid-week so they can by deliverer five days prior to Thanksgiving for distribution to food closets serving the three communities

This is a particularly challenging year due to the 13.5 percent unemployment rate in Manteca. Organizers have said they have been surprised by the number of people who have told them they are a bit better off financially this year so they upped their donations to help out their neighbors who are struggling.

The Turkeys R Us effort has been hit hard by the drop off in construction jobs. It wasn’t unusual to see many who work in construction to drop off $50 to $100 a week or two before Thanksgiving to help others.

A number of people take the free turkeys they get for buying a set amount of food at supermarkets during the holidays and donate that to the effort.

Donations (make checks out to Turkeys R Us) can be dropped off at Coldwell Banker Crossroads offices at 319 Main Street near North Street in

Manteca or 15810 S. Harlan Road in Lathrop or the Second Harvest Food Bank, 704 E. Industrial Park Drive in Manteca.

If you want to donate a frozen turkey or ham, take it directly to the food bank

For more information contact Crossroads Real Estate at 823-8141 or the food bank at 239-2091.