November, for the E-club of Houston, Community Service focus is food related keeping with a Thanksgiving theme. Even though we are widely dispersed, all of our communities have individuals that are in need and hungry. Please use this time to give back to your community with:
- food related donations to a local food pantry
- volunteer at a food pantry
- join in on a local event that provides Thanksgiving dinners to those less fortunate.
Operation Turkey is a great way to volunteer in a very coordinated effort at multiple locations needing many different skills. The attached email and volunteer needs list is a great way to get involved .... KEYWORDS - GET INVOLVED. It is easy to volunteer for this event at 
Please join in and keep track of your volunteerism through ClubRunner .... Rotarians Make A Difference.
More information from PDG Bob Gebhard, President/Rotary Club of Greater Houston Veterans:
Operation Turkey is less than a month away and we need your help again this year. Now we need to register all our helpers. We will again have 4 locations 3 of which will have food preparations including smoking turkey, and one will just be food preparation.
The following locations will be smoking turkeys and food prep on Wednesday 11.23.22 from 6:00 am to 8:00 pm and on Thursday 11.24.22 packaging meals and delivering meals from 7:30 to 11:30:
American Legion Post 654
3105 Campbell Road
Houston, Tx 77080
Site Lead: Hector Giron
Questions: 832-588-6534/hctrgiron77@
Elks Lodge #2628
1150 Katy Fort Bend Rd.
Katy, Tx 77493
Lead: Tim Stroud
Questions: info@stroudmarketing.com
American Legion Post 521
2221 Preston Road
Pasadena, Tx 77503
Lead: Bob Gebhard
Questions: 713-824-7135/bobg.5890@yahoo.
The following location will not be smoking turkeys but will do food preparation on Wednesday and food delivery on Thursday
St. Paul’s United Methodist Church
5501 Main St.
Houston, Tx 77004
Lead: Larry Blair
Questions: 925-299-7640/
I have attached a list of help needed, so please review it, and come out and volunteer. This year we plan on delivering 8,400 meals to families who are food challenged. To volunteer please go to www.operationturkey.com and sign up. Again, as in the past, on Thursday we will be cleaned up, all meals delivered and have you home by noon to celebrate the day with your family.
We also need help finding families, shelters, churches in your area who are food challenged. If you know of any of the above, please have them go to www.operationturkey.com
This is the largest event supported by District 5890, thanks to our District Governor Mindi Snyder.
Thank you in advance for volunteering to help feed those in need, and for all you do for Rotary and you Communities. If you have any questions, you can contact me or the site leaders directly.
.
Food Delivery Drivers – transport food from stores to Goya TBA on day/time
Food Delivery Drivers – transport food from Goya to four sites
*Several pickup trucks or 16’ – 22’ box truck needed, 2 people per truck
Wednesday, November 23 rd – Operation Tailgate
Set up smokers – crews bring in huge smokers
Firewood needs to be delivered and ready for the smokers
*Four people per smoker
Set up tables, wrap and/or clean for turkeys to be split and seasoned
*Eight people per site
Turkey prep teams – split the turkeys down the middle, clean and season
*Twelve People per site with knives/cleavers
Clean teams - clean as you go, break down boxes, wipe down spills, empty trash
*Ten people per site
Turkey storage teams - take fully cooked turkeys, wrap in pan with aluminum foil, cooler
*Four people per site
Food prep teams – wipe down areas, ensure everyone has PPE, open cans, trash
*Four people per site
Portion teams – portion the open food items to containers for tomorrow, cooler
*Six people per site
DJ – set up speakers and table to keep everyone motivated
*Two people per site
Media – take pictures and videos of volunteers, upload to dropbox
*Four people per site
Medic – Medical personnel on standby for accidents, cuts, scrapes, etc
*Two people per site
Food Delivery Drivers – transport food from Goya to four sites
*Several pickup trucks or 16’ – 22’ box truck needed, 2 people per truck
Wednesday, November 23 rd – Operation Tailgate
Set up smokers – crews bring in huge smokers
Firewood needs to be delivered and ready for the smokers
*Four people per smoker
Set up tables, wrap and/or clean for turkeys to be split and seasoned
*Eight people per site
Turkey prep teams – split the turkeys down the middle, clean and season
*Twelve People per site with knives/cleavers
Clean teams - clean as you go, break down boxes, wipe down spills, empty trash
*Ten people per site
Turkey storage teams - take fully cooked turkeys, wrap in pan with aluminum foil, cooler
*Four people per site
Food prep teams – wipe down areas, ensure everyone has PPE, open cans, trash
*Four people per site
Portion teams – portion the open food items to containers for tomorrow, cooler
*Six people per site
DJ – set up speakers and table to keep everyone motivated
*Two people per site
Media – take pictures and videos of volunteers, upload to dropbox
*Four people per site
Medic – Medical personnel on standby for accidents, cuts, scrapes, etc
*Two people per site
Decorating team – Kiddos and adults to decorate the clam shells, keep them clean
*Fourteen people per site
Table set up team – Arrange tables for tomorrow morning to debone the birds and assemble
*Four people per site
Greeters – Welcome volunteers, guide them to areas, take pictures, be friendly!
*Four people per site (multiple entries)
Supplies needed for each site:
Gloves, hairnets, large or extra-large trash bags, sharp knives/cleavers
Dumpster pre-arranged for boxes and trash (boxes need to be broken down)
Delivered (thawed) turkeys from Goya storage and food items
Small portion cups with lids
Tons of markers to draw and color the Clam Shell “to go” containers
*Fourteen people per site
Table set up team – Arrange tables for tomorrow morning to debone the birds and assemble
*Four people per site
Greeters – Welcome volunteers, guide them to areas, take pictures, be friendly!
*Four people per site (multiple entries)
Supplies needed for each site:
Gloves, hairnets, large or extra-large trash bags, sharp knives/cleavers
Dumpster pre-arranged for boxes and trash (boxes need to be broken down)
Delivered (thawed) turkeys from Goya storage and food items
Small portion cups with lids
Tons of markers to draw and color the Clam Shell “to go” containers
Thursday, November 24 th – Operation Turkey - THANKSGIVING DAY
DJ – set up speakers and table to keep everyone motivated
*Two people per site
Media – take pictures and videos of volunteers, upload to dropbox
*Four people per site
Medic – Medial personnel on standby for accidents, cuts, scrapes, etc
*Two people per site
Greeters – Welcome volunteers, guide them to areas, take pictures, be friendly!
*Four people per site
Decorating Team – Kiddos and adults to decorate the clam shells, keep them clean
*Fourteen people per site
T-shirt team – Sell OTH t-shirts, use venmo code (need to print and put on table) or cash
*Four people per site
DJ – set up speakers and table to keep everyone motivated
*Two people per site
Media – take pictures and videos of volunteers, upload to dropbox
*Four people per site
Medic – Medial personnel on standby for accidents, cuts, scrapes, etc
*Two people per site
Greeters – Welcome volunteers, guide them to areas, take pictures, be friendly!
*Four people per site
Decorating Team – Kiddos and adults to decorate the clam shells, keep them clean
*Fourteen people per site
T-shirt team – Sell OTH t-shirts, use venmo code (need to print and put on table) or cash
*Four people per site
Turkey Teams – Set up on arranged tables, inspect, debone those birds and trash the bones
*Forty people per site
Pie teams – Cut the pumpkin pies and get them ready for assembly teams
*Four people per site
Assembly Teams – Portion teams on turkey, all food items into clam shell
*Forty people per site
*Forty people per site
Pie teams – Cut the pumpkin pies and get them ready for assembly teams
*Four people per site
Assembly Teams – Portion teams on turkey, all food items into clam shell
*Forty people per site
Driver Coordinator – Use approved individual and group delivery sites, group according to ZIP
codes, brief drivers on safety, delivering food and ethics
Drivers – Drive in buddy teams to approved places, deliver food, pictures if possible, upload to
dropbox or send to site Captains, have phone number of Driver Coordinator if family is not
home, know safety protocols
Clean Up Team – Clean as you go, scrub-a-dub-dub at the end of the shift to make sure
everything sparkles, kitchen, bathrooms, outside, by dumpster, tables/chairs back in storage
codes, brief drivers on safety, delivering food and ethics
Drivers – Drive in buddy teams to approved places, deliver food, pictures if possible, upload to
dropbox or send to site Captains, have phone number of Driver Coordinator if family is not
home, know safety protocols
Clean Up Team – Clean as you go, scrub-a-dub-dub at the end of the shift to make sure
everything sparkles, kitchen, bathrooms, outside, by dumpster, tables/chairs back in storage
Follow up team – writes letters, sends cards, makes site visits to thank our title and signature
sponsors
sponsors
Media:
ALL media questions and interviews need to be cleared through John Kalvaitis, Rachel Kalvaitis
or Tim Stroud prior to event. If media shows up at your location or delivery site, tell them your
name, name of your company/organization PLUS Operation Turkey and our Title Sponsor Kurt
and Associates. If you have the opportunity to mention other sponsors, please use the list
provided at each site. (Rotary, Houston Police Officer’s Union, Exclusive Furniture, Walgreens,
Goya and the host site you are working from that day.)
ALL media questions and interviews need to be cleared through John Kalvaitis, Rachel Kalvaitis
or Tim Stroud prior to event. If media shows up at your location or delivery site, tell them your
name, name of your company/organization PLUS Operation Turkey and our Title Sponsor Kurt
and Associates. If you have the opportunity to mention other sponsors, please use the list
provided at each site. (Rotary, Houston Police Officer’s Union, Exclusive Furniture, Walgreens,
Goya and the host site you are working from that day.)