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Click Here 54 °F Forecast | Road Cams Saturday, February 14, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find a Rental 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 Email Story to a Friend November 20, 2003 Salvation Army asks community to help with 200 frozen birds for meal boxes By JONEL ALECCIA Mail Tribune Hey, buddy, can you spare a turkey? That’s the plea from the Salvation Army of Medford, where confusion over a donation has left the agency short about 200 birds for holiday meal boxes. A week before Thanksgiving and mere days before Monday’s annual food box distribution, organizers are hoping community members will help fill the gap. "Right now we have 160 turkeys and we need about 400," said Salvation Army Capt. Marv Samuelson. "We are scrambling." Advertisement A commitment for a donation of about 150 turkeys fell through this week, said Samuelson, who wouldn’t divulge further details. People wishing to donate turkeys — preferably frozen ones — can do so between 9 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. at the Salvation Army’s two local thrift stores: 922 N. Central, Medford, and 4149 S. Pacific Highway, Phoenix. The agency expects to distribute about 400 Thanksgiving food boxes this year, down from more than 700 last year. The decline doesn’t mean the need has receded, said Curt Bennett, president of the Salvation Army board of directors. Rather, the agency has changed its criteria and honed its distribution to give more food boxes at Christmas instead of Thanksgiving. "Last year, people got their Thanksgiving box, but they didn’t get a Christmas box," said Bennett, noting that about 300 local families were turned away at Christmas. This year, instead, families who seek food boxes are being asked to choose Thanksgiving or Christmas, but not both. In addition, food boxes will not be distributed to single people; instead they’ll go only to families of two or more, said Carrie Hanson, the agency’s development director. Single people who previously received food boxes will be invited to a Thanksgiving Day meal prepared at the Salvation Army transition shelter, Hanson said. The meal is open to anyone. It will be served at 2 p.m. at the Hope House, 1065 Crews Road. "It is our intention to provide an opportunity for fellowship during the holiday," she said. It’s also a way to ensure that the agency uses its resources wisely, Bennett added. Last year, about 1,000 food boxes were distributed at Christmas in addition to the 700 given out at Thanksgiving. The agency racked up a deficit, prompting organizers to limit the total number of boxes, he said. "We’re asking people, if we can only afford to give 1,100 food boxes, which would you do, Thanksgiving or Christmas?" Turkeys donated by community members would save the agency from having to buy the birds, Bennett said. For every turkey donated, two food boxes can be filled. The turkeys will be augmented with some 5,000 pounds of canned goods and other food collected by area Boy Scouts during a recent drive. The agency is still accepting applications for food boxes. To apply, or for information about donation or volunteering to serve meals, call 773-6965. 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 3 WEEKS FREE! ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S RESOURCES Oregon Road Conditions & Cams SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Food for Thought Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities Prime Times