Yang’s Fitness Center, Whole Foods Market Andover and the Andover Rotary Club are joining forces to provide Thanksgiving dinners to the Lazarus House and residents of the Andover Housing Authority.
Since 2001, members of Yang’s and Rotary have helped to provide over 1,800 turkeys to local residents during Thanksgiving. This year, the Turkey Brigade continues with the addition of a new partner, Whole Foods.
The goal this year is to provide at least 75 complete Thanksgiving dinners to families supported by the Lazarus House in Lawrence and 56 turkeys to residents of the Andover Housing Authority, according to organizers.
“The number of needy families this year is alarmingly high,” said Cindy Rayner, director of community relations at Yang’s.
The public is invited to join the Turkey Brigade and can participate in any of the following ways:
(1) Donate funds at Yang’s for the purchase frozen turkeys by contacting Diana Kiesel at 978-475-2020 or YangsAndover@aol.com;
(2) Donate at the registers of Whole Foods Andover, on Railroad Street, every day during November. For more information, contact Diandra Lamas, the marketing team leader at Whole Foods Andover, at 978-749-6664. People can also donate a gently used coat for Whole Foods’ Coat Drive benefiting the Lazarus House;
(3) Donate non-perishable Thanksgiving fixings at Yang’s. Contribute at least two non-perishable items and receive a complimentary Yang’s guest pass for yourself, a family member or a friend; and
(4) Sort, combine and/or help deliver meals directly to the families of Lazarus House. To lend a hand, contact Dino Sarantos at DSarantos@verizon.net.
For more information about the Turkey Brigade, visit YangsFitness.com; RotaryAndover.org or wholefoods.com/events?store=6467.
