 While Heather Dawn Romero (background left) plays an acoustic gig as part of the event, Selina Delahanty of Meadow Muffins and Deb Mitguard of Westside CARES display a few of the donations in the restaurant/bar's Turkey Drive Extravanganza for the nonprofit Nov. 26. Westside Pioneer photo
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The result was the Turkey Drive Extravaganza through the afternoon and evening of Nov. 26, including 13 bands, a silent auction of donated items, two Nuggets Dancers, and (of course) donations of frozen Thanksgiving turkeys.
Steve Brown, Westside CARES executive director, said the donated food (as well as any cash) will supplement its pantries (it has six in all). The nonprofit, recently relocated to 2808 W. Colorado Ave., is operated by a consortium of 22 Westside churches.
He agreed that the need seems to be up this fall. As an example, he noted that in a typical week 200 to 220 people come in seeking emergency assistance, yet 99 recently signed in on one day alone.
“The turkey drive will be very helpful in directing the generosity of the community toward our food pantries,” Brown said. “We are very grateful for Meadow Muffin's actions in support of our work.”
But he also pointed out that his agency did not ask for the Thanksgiving-timed outside help. “Meadow Muffins did this on their own,” he said.
Selina Delahanty of Meadow Muffins said a friend and business associate with Colorado Springs Construction had told her about Westside CARES. In response, “we contacted everyone we knew, and said if we're going to do it, we've got to make it big. So I started talking to my bands and they said they'd love to do it. Everyone's pulling together to make it a fun event.”
Westside Pioneer article