November 9, 2006

John Farley, Kiwanis, Key Clubs solicit food for Thanksgiving

NBC11 weatherman holds fourth annual Turkey Day

By Carol Rosen
Staff Writer

For the fourth year, NBC11 weatherman John Farley spent the Saturday before Thanksgiving securing turkeys, bags of food and money to buy more food for a number of agencies that help feed the poor and homeless.

Alex Kurosawa, who lives in Almaden Valley, delivers three turkeys and a bag of food to Marissa Prescott from the Kiwanis Club of San Jose. They were at the Nob Hill store at Santa Teresa and Bernal. Photos by Carol Rosen

This year turned out to be as big a success as last year, even though the number of stores was only about one-third of the number last year. This year, the event collected about 5,000 turkeys and 100,000 pounds of non-perishable foods, along with $7,500 in cash at 35 Nob Hill and Raleys stores.

Last year, Farley and a number of Kiwanians and Key Club volunteers collected 6,100 turkeys, 50,000 pounds of non-perishable food and $10,500 at 105 Albertson stores.

One turkey feeds about 10 people. The grocery stores offered to help in a couple of ways. The store brand turkeys were on sale for $6.88 each. The Kiwanians sold certificates for $10 that allowed donors to buy a bag containing $20 worth of non-perishable foods.

Leland Key Club members joined the Almaden and Cambrian Park Kiwanis Clubs at the Food Mart at Cambrian Park Plaza. The group collected 30 turkeys, 80 bags of groceries and a small amount of cash. Business was slow during much of the day, said workers, with the larger stores garnering more business.

Looking into the donation barrel to count the number of $10 grocery bags donated are Leland Key Club and Almaden Valley Kiwanis Club members working at the Food Mart store at Cambrian Park Plaza. From the left are Leland freshman Erin Wang, sophomore Alyssa Brown, Kiwanis member John Stubler, freshman Beeta Modarressi, Almaden Valley Kiwanis secretary Chris Verburg and member James Lucarotti with sophomore Leslie Sherrett.

The goal of the Santa Clara and San Mateo County Second Harvest Food Banks is to have 10,000 turkeys in house for the entire holiday season, said Farley. Last year, before the Turkey Day Drive, the food banks had about 600 turkeys in house. This year, because of the publicity on Channel 11 and in the Mercury News, in-house donations started coming in the week before Turkey Day from a number of grassroots groups including churches, families and various groups.

“We certainly hope to do it again next year,” said Farley. ”I’d be thrilled if we could do it again. The good news is that Kiwanis members and the grocery stores had such a good time they are talking about ‘next year.’”

This year is the fourth year for the Farley family. “It was my wife’s idea,” he told the times. The first year, the two worked alone at one store. The second year, the two worked two stores. Last year the Kiwanis Clubs joined in to help at 105 stores and this year was the 35 Bay Area Raleys and Nob Hill stores.

Those who would like to donate, but missed out on Saturday’s event, can still do so by going online to NBC11’s Web site and clicking on Community Events and John Farley’s Turkey Day. Every $1 that’s donated allows area food banks to pass out $9 worth of groceries, fresh produce, dairy products, bread and meat into the community.