Thanksgiving basket donations for student veterans being accepted
Ann Reeder and Mike Graham pose with baskets excited for the Thanksgiving holiday last year. (Courtesy of Tracy McConnell)
The Classified Senate Giving Drive to student veterans placed baskets throughout Saddleback College in each division office inviting the public to donate to the student veterans, so they can have a memorable Thanksgiving this year.
Because it was unclear on how many donations the divisions offices were going to collect last year, the student veterans entered in a drawing this informed the school that they were going to need help feeding their family, knowing that their name may not be picked.
But there was such a great turnout in donations last year, that all thirty raffle contestants received baskets.
“Other student Vets who were not aware of the raffle, saw the contestants retrieving their holiday baskets, and ran down here to my office to see if their were left overs. It was phenomenal. Luckily I had a few gift cards left over,” said Tracy McConnell, the program assistant for the giving drive.
McConnell has reach both inside and outside of Saddleback this year.
“I work with many other outside agencies who informed me that the public would also like to donate and that I should advertise to the community,” McConnell said. “So I got in touch with KSBR and Channel 39 in hopes there will be more donations.”
McConnell is picking up the baskets this Thursday.
“For people with 3 to 7 family members we get them a nice big basket a certificate for a turkey, and a little cash for perishables, but the rest of the dinner is in the basket,” McConnell said.
There are many Veteran families who are in need during this time. The more donations collected the more families the public will be helping out. Look for the baskets in each division office and drop by what you can to help give Veteran families a memorable and comfortable Thanksgiving.