GILBERT NEWS: Help bless others through Thanksgiving Blessing Baskets

Thanksgiving is a time for families, food and gratitude. Many this year will struggle to enjoy the holidays. The Derrick Team of Keller Willaims and the elementary school counselors in the area are asking for the public to help with their annual Thanksgiving Blessing Baskets food drive.

Organizers have partnered with local elementary school counselors to identify and provide complete Thanksgiving meals to area families who need a little extra assistance. Each laundry basket needs to have multiple canned food items such as corn, green beans, cranberry sauce, yams, peas and more. Also, boxes of stuffing and mashed potatoes, canned gravy or jars of gravy, soups, biscuit mix and nonperishable desserts.

Organizers are requesting $20 gift cards for ham or turkey from Walmart, Publix, Sam’s or any local grocery store. Each basket should feed a minimum of six people. The Blessing Baskets need to be dropped off at JC’s Outdoors in Gilbert on Saturday, Nov. 14, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thanksgiving Blessing Baskets dropped off at JC's Outdoors will be distributed to local families in need through trusted local schools, school counselors and social workers.

The Ruritan Citizenship and Patriotism Committee hosted the October Gilbert Ruritans Meeting. Invited guests included members and parents of the Gilbert High School golf teams and Gilbert Scout leaders. GHS coach Dru Nix and her golf team were thanked for assisting the Ruritans at the Peach Festival.

Gilbert Scout leader Tom Wirzburger, Jackie Chester, the Troop G scoutmaster, and Delana Jones, pack cubmaster, all spoke about their current events and projects, future prospects and their efforts to acquire new scouts.

Gilbert Ruritan members brought food items to restock the Blessing Boxes located throughout the Gilbert community. Blessing Boxes are one of the projects the Gilbert Ruritan Club has as a community project. Gilbert Ruritans welcome new members to join them. They meet at 7 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month at 713 Juniper Springs Road.

Beulah Methodist Church of Gilbert will have its annual “Come to the Manger” display on Saturday, Nov. 21, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. If you have a manger set you would like to enter for viewing, call the church office at 803-892-2842. Each of the mangers will be protected during the duration of the viewing.