Project Gobbler

Leslie Simmons

NORTHWEST DISTRICT -- All Patty Reardon could say about the almost six

shopping carts loaded with food was, “Holy Cow.”

The executive director of the Burbank Temporary Aid Center was moved

by the unexpected donation made to the nonprofit organization by the

Burbank Junior Chamber of Commerce.

On Saturday, members of the junior chamber -- also called the Jaycees

-- stood outside the Vons grocery store on San Fernando Boulevard and the

Pavilions market on Alameda Avenue handing out flyers asking shoppers to

help with “Project Gobbler.”

The flyer listed only a few general products -- turkey, ham or

chicken, boxed stuffing, bread goods, desserts and canned goods -- for

shoppers to consider buying and donating to their food drive.

By the end of the day, Jaycees President Tom Huber had a minivan full

of food, not to mention 54 turkeys.

“We probably collected about $6,000 worth of food,” Huber said Monday

morning. “We have so much food, we don’t know where to store it.”

By Monday afternoon, Huber’s storage dilemma was over when he

delivered the food to BTAC.

“I’m overwhelmed by their kindness and generosity,” Reardon said as

helpers unloaded Huber’s car. “It means there is food for the needy.

Nobody will go hungry this Thanksgiving.”

The Jaycees donation will be used for BTAC’s Thanksgiving baskets,

which each feed two to eight people, Reardon said.

Next year, Huber hopes to be able to collect food outside more grocery

stores.

“It was easy for people to do and a lot of people just gave one or two

cans,” he said. “The cumulative effect of people donating a few cans

really help.”