Turkey Ride Gathers Over 300 Turkeys

Turkey Ride Gathers Over 300 Turkeys For Needy Local Families

Volunteer Morgan Fowlkes helps load donated turkeys into a pickup truck at the 12th Annual Turkey Ride donation drive at Lucky’s Supermarket in El Centro Saturday.

By Luke Phillips
El Centro California – Shopping cart after shopping cart full of frozen turkeys came wheeling out of Lucky’s Supermarket in El Centro Saturday morning as generous residents donated to help feed hungry families this Thanksgiving.
The 38th Chapter of the Abate motorcycle club, Lucky’s Supermarket, and the local food bank organized and hosted the 12 Annual Turkey Ride and had no problem exceeding their goal of collecting 300 turkeys for needy families.
More than 100 motorcycle riders participated in the event including members of local clubs The Blue Knights, The Rolling Knights, and the Calexico Bikers. Others came from farther away to donate a turkey and pitch in at the event.
“We have people from all over here,” said Eddie Aranda, president of the local Abate chapter. “There’s people here from San Diego, Escondido, Yuma and all over.”
Aranda said that the club has been involved with the Turkey Ride for the past twelve years, but this is the biggest year so far. There were more participants than expected and the goal of collecting 300 turkeys was exceeding by 17.
After the 300 turkeys were collected they were rushed by pickup truck to 12 different local charities for disbursement to needy families.
The large turnout was a surprise to Lucky’s store manager Jose Vizcarra.
“I honestly didn’t expect this kind of turnout,” Vizcarra said, “but there’s people here from all over the valley. It’s going very well.”
Vizcarra said that Lucky’s was also hosting a separate event on the same day as part of the El Centro Food Bank’s ‘In Your Community’ campaign to raise money for the food bank’s holiday programs.
“It’s a good thing,” said Vizcarra, “we just want to help keep these events alive.”

Bikers from all over the Imperial Valley gathered at Lucky’s supermarket in El Centro Saturday to help needy families by donating a Thanksgiving turkey.

Another Imperial Valley Charity is also helping out this Thanksgiving. Catholic Charities rounded up 50 turkeys during recent food drives and handed them out to those in need earlier this week, including all the trimmings.
Catholic Charities will also be hosting traditional Thanksgiving dinners at their Senior Nutrition Sites throughout the Imperial Valley. Seniors will be treated to dinner and fun activities, including Bingo and ‘Gobble Wobble’   a competition where they will be required to give their best turkey impersonation for a panel of judges.