(Mission Times Courier, San Diego, Ca) -  The Salvation Army extends its gratitude to the Del Cerro community and Kassy, Lindy and Tom Kaiser for organizing and overseeing their 23rd Annual Thanksgiving Food Drive.  The drive is successful due to the wonderful volunteers and the generosity of the Del Cerro Community.

This year over 3 tons of food was collected and 82 families received a box of food containing a turkey and all the Thanksgiving dinner trimmings: dressing, jello, pumpkin, cake mix, many cans of vegetables and fruits, dinner rolls, bags of potatoes, apples, and onions, dinner napkins and even a roasting pan and recipes for roasting a turkey, and making dressing and gravy.

Kassy and Lindy want to thank Windmill Farms and Matt Mann for providing all the turkeys.  The following volunteers helped to make this drive successful either by delivering flyers, providing trucks to use to collect as well as collecting, sorting and boxing food, donating the roasting pans and money to buy the extras such as the potatoes, onions, apples, dinner rolls and napkins. Thank you to: Jim and Noreen Tasto,  Bodo and Karen Haak, Bob and Mary Davenport, Mike Terao, Sharon Miller, Jim Kaiser, Jerry Miller, Norm and Roxy Katz, Jane and Gary Heckman, Garry Schaeffer, Susan Fefferman, Diane Bailey, Phil Franklin, Nancy Losek, Joan LarchMiller, Rod and Carmen Beeche, Pat and Chuck McGregor, Johanna Kouw, Joy Winter, Chuck and Terri Fleming, Ann McDonald, Kathy Yurcich, Loni Burke, Matt and Dave Drees, Betty Ann Ravin, Paige Bennett, Christine and Juliette Diveley, Alexandria Easland, Myrt Neisely, The Gainsborough family& friends, Rebecca Sirois, Holly Callaway, Pat Perlman, Jack Kirchner and Candy, and most importantly all the families that donated the food for us to collect and sort in order to help 82 families and extended families have a bountiful Thanksgiving.

A special "ThankYou" to Phil and Dida Franklin who have provided all the apples for 22 years and Jack Kirchner who for 22 years has provided the area/and kept the boxes from Sunday until Tuesday when the frozen turkeys are added. The Salvation Army picks them up for distribution to the selected families on Tuesday.

Captain Suzanne Mondell, Administrative Dir. of Social Services of The Salvation Army, personally came to help pick up the food.  They brought a huge truck with a lift to pick up the boxes.  She had five assistants to deliver the food.  Bill Molino has sent excerpts from many letters from last year's thankful recipients of the boxes. All the letters say they were so very thankful for the much needed food. They also express their awe and appreciation for the kindness of strangers.

This year 82 families received boxes of food - the most ever!  The Kaisers thank each and everyone who volunteered and hope that they realize the time they have spent is so very special to the recipient families. Kassy, Lindy and Tom say, "Thank You Del Cerro for helping make this happen!"