The Mineola-Garden City Rotary Club is seeking support for the Alford family’s annual Thanksgiving Day project, a Thanksgiving Day delivery program in which John and Melinda Alford and their family provide the fixings for 30 local families to make their own holiday meal; plus delivering 200 fully prepared hot dinners to homebound senior citizens on Thanksgiving Day. This year, due to the coronavirus, the Alfords need to restructure how this is done to make sure that everyone involved is safe.
This will be the 25th year the Alford family has organized and coordinated this project. Done in their home since 2001, the first five years everything was executed through J.B.’s Pub, a Mineola restaurant owned by the Alfords.
Melinda and John report that they are in need of frozen turkeys for the families and non-carbonated beverages for the meals. They kindly ask that no glass bottles, water, juice boxes and soda be donated.
“We are in need of large bottles for the families,” Melinda said. “No individual bottles [or] cans to accompany the hot meals. Donations may be dropped off at our home at 35 Maxwell Rd. in Garden City. Please feel free to call us to arrange a convenient drop off time at 516-746-8331. Unfortunately, we will not be able to accept homemade desserts or baked goods. We will be purchasing individually wrapped baked goods and will be purchasing the turkey cooked and sliced from a local market. Everything needed will be provided to prepare complete meals. We will be grateful for any financial donations as well.”
The Alfords understand that this may be a year when many folks may not be able to help them.
“We also know that it is a year when many more are in need than ever before,” they said. “Please consider helping us with this wonderful project in any way you can. Again, please contact us at 516-746-8331 with any questions.”
The Alfords are quick to thank everyone for their support throughout the years.
Mineola-Garden City Rotary Is On Board
The Alford family’s Thanksgiving Day project has been one of the services the Mineola-Garden City Rotary Club has supported throughout many years.
In 2005, our club had honored Melinda, John and the Alford family with its coveted “Community Service Award.”
In this year of special need, our club joins with the many individuals and organizations whose contributions will hopefully make Thanksgiving 2020 its typical tremendous success.
—Submitted by the Mineola-Garden City Rotary
