BERNARDSTON — About 15 volunteers turned into a well-oiled machine on Friday to distribute 70 Thanksgiving meals to Franklin County families in need.
The fundraiser, started by local DJ Robert “Bobby C” Campbell, is now in its 10th year. Vehicles swung by the Bernardston Senior Center between 2:30 and 4:30 p.m. to pick up meal kits containing carrots, cranberry sauce, stuffing, butternut squash, canned gravy, rolls, potatoes and apple pies. Each family was also given a $25 gift card to purchase a turkey at the Greenfield Stop & Shop.
“We always have more than enough volunteers. We’re usually falling all over each other,” said Leslie Campbell, wife of the fundraiser’s organizer. Ongoing health issues prevented her husband from being there.
Amid rising food prices, it cost $80 for donors to sponsor a family’s meal. Checks to support Thanksgiving meals were also given to The Salvation Army, Stone Soup Cafe and Living Waters Assembly of God. Campbell said money that is left over is set aside for next year.
Volunteer Reggie Gordon said the community always steps up to help others.
“We’ve got a lot of people [volunteering] this year … but that’s a good thing,” he said. “Our deliveries to the food pantries went well, and anything left here today I’ll deliver today or tomorrow.”
Bobby C previously mentioned that he got the idea for the fundraiser years ago after he and his wife learned of the hardships endured by families who hired him for his DJ services.
“I mean, Bobby’s the backbone of this,” Gordon said.