NBC4.TV, CA
Nov 25 2004

Southland Groups Spread Holiday Cheer
Chicken Chucking And Turkey Dinners Benefit The Less Fortunate

LOS ANGELES — It’s Thanksgiving, and groups around the Southland are
making sure that the less fortunate have some holiday cheer.

In Long Beach, the “Long Beach 5K/10K Turkey Trot & Chicken Chucking
Championship” is holding a walk to benefit the nonprofit Community
Action Team, followed by participants hurling rubber chickens to
raise money for local food bank charities.

Pasadena’s Union Station Foundation is holding its annual
Thanksgiving Dinner-in-the-Park, billed as the “biggest potluck in
the nation.” Volunteers are expected to serve more than 5,000 meals
to the poor, homeless and elderly.

The Los Angeles Police Department, West Valley Pals and Woodland
Hills Optimist Club are hosting a free Thanksgiving dinner at the
Guadalupe Community Center.

In Valley Village, more than 500 men, women and children will enjoy a
traditional turkey dinner with all the trimmings. Needy residents of
the East Valley will receive vouchers provided by Temple Beth Hillel
and distributed by numerous outreach organizations, including Jewish
War Veterans, the East Valley Multi-Purpose Center, Loaves and Fishes
and The Salvation Army, among others.

In Hollywood, Food on Foot will feed and distribute backpacks to the
homeless and poor. For every two 64-pound bags of trash collected
from the streets of Hollywood, Food on Foot will reward individuals
with a $5 food gift certificate from a fast-food restaurant or
grocery store.

In Orange County, the 27th annual Dana Point Turkey Trot will feature
5K, 10K and children’s races; the Orange County Rescue Mission will
serve Thanksgiving dinner in Santa Ana; and Rep. Loretta Sanchez,
D-Garden Grove, Hon. Bishop Jaime Soto and others will join in
serving Thanksgiving dinner to the needy during the 19th annual Casa
Garcia Thanksgiving dinner that owner Frank Garcia serves in the
parking lot of his eatery in Anaheim.

And in Glendale, Armenia Fund Inc. is holding its annual Thanksgiving
telethon, “Make It Happen,” to raise funds to complete the remaining
56 miles of the North-South “Backbone” Highway in Karabakh, Armenia.
Proceeds will also benefit continued assistance in the areas of
health care, education and infrastructure development in the Republic
of Armenia. The 12-hour event will be televised live from Glendale
throughout the United States, South America, the Middle East, Canada
and Armenia.