Thursday, November 09, 2006

Thanksgiving program seeks helpers

By Melina Rodriguez
Staff writer

Nearly 200 people volunteered last Thanksgiving to put together food baskets for Soldiers in need, and the time for turkeys, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pies has come again.

This year volunteers will gather at the Woodlawn Chapel at 8:30 a.m. on Nov. 18 to pack 300 baskets with all the necessities for a Thanksgiving feast.

“It’s a wonderful event; the outpouring of volunteers is amazing,” said Susan Burgess, Catholic coordinator for the Fort Belvoir Chapel. “We’ll have over 150 volunteers.”

Volunteers will set up an assembly line to fill the baskets. Soldiers and families living on post will have their baskets delivered and off-post residents can pick up their baskets between 1 and 3 p.m. on the same day at the chapel.

Unit first sergeants and village mayors nominate families in need and notify the chapel. Then the chapel takes a collection to raise the money to pay for the food baskets. The chapel expects to spend approximately $15,000 on food baskets this year.

“We do it to take care of our Soldiers in need here at Fort Belvoir,” Burgess said. “To make sure they have a happy Thanksgiving.”

To find out more information about volunteering, call (703) 806-5745.