Rae Nicely, executive director of Lehigh Community Services, (LCS), says the 172 families who applied and were accepted will receive turkeys and all the trimmings whenThanksgiving basketsare handed out just before the holiday on Nov. 20.

“Thanks to the service clubs, organizations and other groups in Lehigh, we have been able to gather enough turkeys, hopefully, to give each family one when they come to get a free Thanksgiving Basket this year.

Those who receive the Thanksgiving baskets had to qualify within income guidelines.

The Thanksgiving baskets, being given out this week, will have other foods with them so a family can have a nice dinner. Nicely said those people who applied and met the income guidelines will have been notified and they must bring in a photo ID with them, such as their driver’s license or other PhotoID., she said.

The 172 families represent a lot of people,Nicely said.

“There are several children in many of these families, so we’re handing out food for a few hundred people to eat on the holiday,” she said.

Nicely said there will be between 10 to 15 people volunteering at Lehigh Community Services at 9 Beth Stacey Blvd. to hand out the food.

When the food is given out, the office is like a beehive of activity with volunteers responsible for different items of food to be put into a large bag and given to those who turn out to get the free food.

“There may be more people who didn’t qualify and still are in need,” Nicely said. “We’re telling them they can go to the Thanksgiving Dinner at St. Raphael’s Catholic Church where it won’t cost them anything. Serving there begins at 10:30 a.m. and continues to 2:30 p.m., according to Mike Buff, who is chairman of the project for the Lehigh Acres Rotary Club. Members of Rotary and several volunteers will be at the parish hall to prepare and serve dinner to anyone in Lehigh who attends.

In addition to her agency, she said others are handing out Thanksgiving baskets, too. Lehigh Community Services however is giving out the most food. It has given Thanksgiving dinners to needy people for years.

“Thanks to the clubs, organizations and businesses, I think we have enough turkeys. They will be weigh between 10 and 16 pounds each. Already the freezers are full at Lehigh Community Services late last week and more turkeys were on their way.

“But we have room to keep them frozen until we give them away,” Nicely said.

She said local groups were giving several turkeys. One of the largest amount of turkeys is coming from New Life Assembly of God on Leonard Blvd., which is giving 50 turkeys to the agency. Florida Community Bank gave the agency a$285 check to buyseveral boxes of turkeys of frozen turkeys and many individuals have called in and pledged or sent money to buy turkeys. Others giving turkeys include local service clubs and other organizations and individuals.

When Thanksgiving is over, Nicely said they jump right into the Christmas season asking local organizations to help them buy toys for the Christmas for Children program.

“We’re giving out toys for children from ages one to 12,” she said. The Christmas Toys giveaway sign-up begins Monday, Nov. 23 and ends Friday, Dec. 8, Nicely said. “And those who ask for toys must qualify under current LCS guidelines.”

The pick update for the toys for children will be on Friday, Dec. 18, a week before Christmas from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. The hours are strictly enforced.

For more information, call Lehigh Community Services at 369-5818.

And again, volunteers will be at the site to help pass out the toys to families.

As for Thanksgiving, Nicely said since she has been operating Lehigh Community Services, she believes the number of people applying for Thanksgiving baskets has been the largest this year.

“We do what we can and we know others are helping turkeys out, too. There is a real need in our community for people this holiday season,” she said.