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50 °F Forecast | Road Cams Thursday, November 25, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend November 19, 2004 Amy Stevens of Central Point and her crew of St. Vincent de Paul food pantry volunteers load bags of Thanksgiving dinner supplies Thursday. St. Vincent�s is one of several organizations providing holiday meals for poor families this week and next. Mail Tribune / Bob Pennell Eat, drink and be full Thanksgiving dinners will be distributed, served to the needy by charitable volunteers By JONEL ALECCIA Mail Tribune More than 400 poor families will take home free turkeys, chickens and a range of trimmings today as Medford’s St. Vincent de Paul conducts its annual holiday food give-away. Volunteers spent Thursday morning packing brown paper grocery bags with enough staples to ensure Thanksgiving cheer, said Amy Stevens, St. Vincent’s project coordinator. "Bigger families get a turkey; smaller ones get a chicken," explained Stevens. "We have potatoes, butter, pumpkin, pork and beans, mac and cheese. It’s a whole bag full." Distribution begins at 10:30 a.m. today and runs to 1 p.m., or until supplies are exhausted. People who need assistance are welcome to come to 2424 N. Pacific Highway, Medford. Identification and verification of income must be presented. Advertisement St. Vincent’s also will serve a community dinner from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday. Doors open at 10:30 a.m. The St. Vincent de Paul benefits are among several charity events planned during the next week. Medford’s Salvation Army will distribute about 250 turkey dinners on Tuesday, part of about 900 holiday food boxes expected to be delivered between Thanksgiving and Christmas. The Thanksgiving distribution is down from about 400 last year and 700 the year before that, but that’s because most families prefer to receive help at Christmas, said Carrie Hanson, the agency’s development director. "We are providing food boxes for people in need, but they need to choose," she said. The agency still needs donations of turkeys to help fulfill the need, Hanson said. This year, they’re offering three ways for the public to help during the agency’s annual "turkey drop." Interested people can buy frozen turkeys at local grocery stores and deliver them to any Salvation Army thrift store. They can buy a $10 paper turkey at any PremierWest bank location. The paper turkeys will be redeemed for real poultry for the holidays. They can buy a $10 gift card and either mail or hand-deliver the card to the Salvation Army’s offices at 304 Beatty St., P.O. Box 757, Medford 97501. Families who don’t receive food boxes but would still like to enjoy traditional holiday fare can attend the Salvation Army’s community meal starting at 2 p.m. Thanksgiving Day. Held at the Hope House transitional shelter, it’s open to anyone in the community, Hanson said. The shelter is at 1065 Crews Road, off of Table Rock Road in Medford. The Salvation Army gathering is one of several free public meals scheduled this week. Organizers for many meals throughout the Rogue Valley stress that they’re not just for low-income people. Following is a list of other holiday meal sites: WEDNESDAY MEDFORD GOSPEL MISSION: Two traditional holiday meals are planned at 12:30 and 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Medford Gospel Mission, 125 W. Jackson St. About 200 people typically attend the two dinners. Call Bill Gourley at 779-1597 for information. THURSDAY ASHLAND COMMUNITY DINNER: Ashland’s 13th annual Caring Friends Community Thanksgiving Dinner will be served from noon to 4 p.m. Thursday at the National Guard Armory, 1420 E. Main St., Ashland. Call Cori Thye-Couch at 245-6980 for information. LIGHTHOUSE CHURCH: Lighthouse Church of Medford will host its annual Thanksgiving dinner at 2 p.m. Thursday. The free meal will be served at the church, 520 N. Holly St. Last year, more than 260 people participated. The church will also deliver free home-cooked meals to home-bound elderly people starting at about 10:30 a.m. Thursday. For delivery reservations, call 773-7064. WORD OF LIFE CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP: A free traditional Thanksgiving dinner will be available from 1 to 3 p.m. Thursday at The Ministry Center, 1025 Court St., Medford. Call 608- WORD. Reach reporter JoNel Aleccia at 776-4465, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities