About two months ago, Mechele Kaericher, 36, a mother of three children ages 14, 12, and 4, spent several weeks living in the Turlock Motel 6 and she was effectively homeless. There was a time in her life when she and her family lived a much better life, but cancer ravaged it and nearly killed Kaericher in the process.
Although Thanksgiving has only just arrived, Turlock Together, a voluntary cooperation of ministries, businesses, non-profit organizations, schools, service clubs, and community members, has already begun taking donations for Christmas. Turlock Together collects toys and food to donate to needy families, and also holds a Christmas meal on Christmas.
On Wednesday, President Obama pardoned both National Thanksgiving Turkeys, named Mac and Cheese, ahead of Thursday’s holiday. The traditional pardon began in 1989, under former President George H.W. Bush, and has continued annually since then. Beginning with former President Harry S. Truman in 1947, presidents were presented with a turkey each Thanksgiving, but there was no definitive action taken; some presidents cooked and ate the turkeys while others pardoned them, sending them off to zoos or farms.
Thanksgiving is fast-approaching, and for those who still have errands to run, it might seem impossible. Thankfully, there are still a few businesses open to enable last-minute shopping. It seems like there’s at least one missing ingredient each year, right as you get to cooking. Fortunately, several of Turlock’s grocery stores will be open, including Safeway (Monte Vista Avenue) which will open at its regular time and close at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving day. Raley’s (Geer Road) will be open from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Save Mart (Geer Road) will be open from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m.
An army of 200 volunteers have worked hard Tuesday and Wednesday to prepare meals and presentation for up to 600 guests for the Turlock Gospel Mission’s Thanksgiving Community Dinner. Volunteers are preparing everything from eating utensils with napkins to sweet potatoes and turkeys — along with all the fixings for what will sure to be a delicious Thanksgiving meal for so many less fortunate in the Turlock community.
Turlock Unified School District has been honored by the College Board for its efforts to increase Advanced Placement courses for high school students while maintaining the percentage of students who score 3 or higher on AP exams. TUSD is one of 547 school districts this year in the United States and Canada to earn the honor from the College Board’s fifth annual AP District Honor Roll.
