Petalumans rise to big Thanksgiving challenge

<p>The Petaluma community, long known for its generosity in helping people in need, really outdid itself last week with an immediate, grand display of support to an urgent request from Committee on the Shelterless.</p><!-- Nothing to do. The paragraph has already been output --><p>When COTS sent out an e-mail to supporters on Nov. 4 requesting Thanksgiving turkeys for people in need, the initial response was far below normal.</p><p>“We were hoping to provide turkeys for all the people we serve in our Food Box program, and wanted to have enough to serve people in other programs — but we weren’t getting the numbers we needed,” said Elizabeth Hale, COTS’ director of food programs, adding that as of Nov. 18, about 200 turkeys had been contributed.</p><p>So, with turkey delivery day only two days away and COTS around 250 turkeys short, the following day executive director John Records sent out a second e-mail to supporters and left a posting on Facebook to alert people of the predicament. </p><p>And, in true Petaluma fashion, residents began communicating with each other about the urgent situation online, over the phone and in person.</p><p>Scores of residents began heading to local markets to buy turkeys. Petaluma Sunrise Rotary and Elim Lutheran church contributed dozens of turkeys, and other local businesses, groups and individuals began chipping in. Within two days, an additional 400 turkeys had been contributed, thereby enabling COTS to not only meet, but greatly exceed its target. </p><p>“I was delighted: I was skeptical that we could get all the turkeys on time,” Records said. “I continue to be grateful to the community for its support.”</p><p>Approximately 230 of the turkeys were delivered on Saturday to people served by the Food Box program, which also gave away 75 boxes on Sunday and Monday to people who came to the COTS facility. Vintage Chateau, a seniors community, received 35 turkeys, and COTS set aside 20 for the Thanksgiving meal at the Mary Isaak Center.</p><p>Turkeys also will be given to a local Hispanic church and to other community programs that are providing Thanksgiv-ing meals for people who can’t otherwise afford them.</p><p>Perhaps most remarkably, the community was able to respond to COTS’ urgent situation at a time when so many residents are having serious financial problems.</p><p>“It’s awesome, to think about people doing this when so many people are struggling,” Hale said.</p><p>“It was a magnificent statement by the community,” Records added. “It is very sensitive to people’s struggles. People stepped up to help, and some people who have the means to step up even more did so.”</p><p>Ironically, Records doesn’t even eat turkey.</p><p>“But I recognize that it’s a nice part of Thanksgiving for many people,” he said.</p><p>(Contact Dan Johnson at dan.johnson@arguscourier.com)</p>