LAKE COUNTY ? Senator Patricia Wiggins made a special visit to Lake County Monday to participate in the launch of Operation Gobble. Senator Wiggins was joined by representatives of Golden State Water Company (GSWC) and Lake County Community Action Agency (LCCAA) at Ray”s Food Place where nearly 200 turkeys were donated to the Lake County community.
“I”m proud to be a part of this and very happy to be in Lake County doing this again,” Senator Wiggins said. “Operation Gobble is a big deal. It really helps out a lot of people.”
Operation Gobble is a charity effort sponsored locally by Golden State Water Company and California Water Company in cooperation with regional legislators. The water companies provide the turkeys while the legislators chose the agency to disperse the gifts.
As in the past, Lake County Community Action Agency will serve as the work horse in the program, delivering 187 turkeys to 21 various agencies throughout the county.
“These turkeys translate into about 2,000 people benefiting from these meals,” LCCAA Food Service Supervisor Lou Denny said. “It”s the partnerships that make this work.”
GSWC Superintendent Keith Ahart said as long as the funds are there, Operation Gobble will continue. “Hopefully this is a partnership that will last for a long time,” he said. “With the poor economy hitting more and more people, without this they wouldn”t have anything to eat on Thanksgiving Day.”
First on Monday morning”s delivery list was New Beginnings, where LCCAA volunteer Jim Manley, dressed as turkey, was greeted by a flock of happy children. Letting out their best gobbler impressions, the children thanked the big bird for the gifts.
Deliveries continued to agencies throughout the county including Village Baptist Church, Community Care HIV/AIDS Project (CCHAP), First Baptist Church, Calvary Chapel, Highlands, Live Oak, Alpine, Middletown and Lakeport senior centers; Robinson Rancheria, North Shore Ministries, St. John”s Episcopal Church, Lake Family Resource Center, Free Kitchen Project, Rotary Food Program, Scotts Valley Pomo Indians, Catholic Charities Middletown, New Jerusalem Church of God in Christ, Northlake Adult Day Care Center and Adult Day Care/Respite of Clearlake.
Operation Gobble has served numerous communities for the past 19 years. The program is meant to afford water utilities within the incorporated company the opportunity to support their local communities. The program is designed to entrust the partnership of state legislators with local service organizations to ensure the donations reach those most in need.
Contact Denise Rockenstein at drockenstein@clearlakeobserver.com or call her directly at 994-6444, ext. 11.
