(By Matthew Cabe/Daily Press)
Posted – November 10, 2018
(To read article  CLICK HERE)

A total of 100 frozen turkeys were donated to the Rescue Mission Alliance Victor Valley, Barstow High School and the Rotary Club of Crestline-Lake Gregory on Wednesday as part of Operation Gobble, a program that helps provide Thanksgiving meals to families in need.

The Rescue Mission, a faith-based organization that primarily provides homeless men with addiction recovery opportunities, will add the 50 turkeys it received to plans for its 11th annual Thanksgiving Banquet at Victor Valley High School, according to Community Relations Coordinator Dawn Seeley.

About 2,000 are expected to attend the Nov. 20 banquet. Seeley said the Rescue Mission previously received 250 turkeys from ICR Staffing Services for the event. They have been assigned either to banquet meals or to “Thanksgiving baskets” for families.

“We tailor the basket for the family. If we have any excess, we have a waiting list for those baskets,” Seeley said.

Barstow High and the Rotary Club of Crestline-Lake Gregory received 25 turkeys each. The school plans to deliver their turkeys to families of students in need Thanksgiving morning, according to a spokesperson.

The Rotary Club’s turkeys will help feed attendees to its annual Thanksgiving Day dinner at the San Moritz Lodge and others who need meals delivered, according to Club President Kimberly Hoflich.

“It’s important for people who live alone or are in need that they have a place to go to have a cozy, full, traditional Thanksgiving dinner,” Hoflich said. “It’s also very important for people who are shut in or not able to travel that they have a dinner, too.”

Perry Dahlstrom, general manager of Golden State Water Company’s Mountain Desert District, helped with distribution to representatives of the three organizations. Golden State Water officials expect to give more than 8,000 turkeys this month to local groups.

The company has provided about 232,000 turkeys through partnerships with elected officials and community organizations since the program’s inception in 1990, a statement shows. Ronald Moore, Operation Gobble project leader, said Golden State appreciated those partnerships.

“Operation Gobble has become an important part of the holiday season for all of our employees who understand the significant impact a warm Thanksgiving meal can make for our neighbors that have limited resources,” Moore said in the statement.

The turkeys were distributed outside 33rd District Assemblyman Jay Obernolte’s district office in Hesperia. Obernolte was unable to attend the event, but was represented there by Shannon Runkle.