Turkeys, gifts for kids still needed

Bank of Clarke County executive assistant to the CEO Mia Jackson (left) and Kaley Crosen, human resources director, deliver 37 turkeys and a check for $1,176 to the Salvation Army in Winchester Wednesday. The money was donated by the bank and its employees. (Photo by Jeff Taylor/The Winchester Star)

WINCHESTER — Christmas is fast approaching, and Lt. Al Porras says he and other officials at the local Salvation Army headquarters are “a little bit scared.”

The nonprofit organization still needs 500 frozen turkeys and gifts for more than 700 children and families participating in its Angel Tree program.

The distribution of the items is set for Tuesday through Friday at 774 Smithfield Ave.

According to Porras, gifts have not been received for 615 of 1,800 angels, and the wish lists of another hundred remain unclaimed.

He asks those who adopted an angel to drop off their gifts by Monday.

The same goes for turkeys.

The Salvation Army needs more than 1,000 turkeys, he said, and just half of that number have been donated.

“Every year it’s the same problem, but last year not so much,” Porras said, recalling that at this time last December, about 200 angel gifts had not been received.

Anyone donating turkeys or gifts may bring them to the Salvation Army headquarters at 300 Fort Collier Road. The facility is open 24 hours a day.

For more information, call 540-662-4777.

— Contact Cynthia Cather Burton at cburton@winchesterstar.com