What if you could be the one to help supply a family with the food for a nice Thanksgiving meal? What if it was you that could not provide your family with a turkey dinner and you had nowhere to go? Many families have fallen on tough times and will not have the means to buy the items for a traditional Thanksgiving meal. Evergreen Christian Outreach is in need of donations for Thanksgiving so that hopefully no families go without this Thanksgiving. Imagine the feeling of knowing you helped a family out while you are gathered with your family and friends over your Thanksgiving meal.

EChO has put together a Thanksgiving meal needs list in an effort to make sure all families get to have a nice Thanksgiving dinner. We are asking our community neighbors to help supply the following needs. As you are grocery shopping and see some of these items on sale or find extra in your pantry please keep these families in mind and donate what you can to our local outreach center.

With limited space in their refrigerators and freezers non- perishable items can be donated now and starting November 14th perishable items will be accepted. Please keep in mind that EChO can only accept donations during regular business hours. EChO’s operating hours to drop off donations are Monday 10am to 5:30pm, Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday from 10am-4pm.

Saturday, November 12th is the 9Cares Colorado Shares food drive supporting EChO. Between 7am and 4pm you can stop by the King Soopers in Bergen Park and donate food, gift cards, and gently used clothing. They will also be accepting new toys for the holidays. Help stock the shelves of our community food bank and provide the items needed for the holiday meals and gifts.

Friday, November 18th starting at 6pm and ending at 10pm there will be an EChO Benefit at the Ice House Café. There will be four bands playing including 3-Legged Dog, Joe Bye & Friends, John Erlandson & The MPR All-Stars and Open Space. The cover is $10 plus a Canned Good. All proceeds benefit your Evergreen Christian Outreach.

Join EChO family and friends Thanksgiving morning as they walk, run, and trot a 5K around Evergreen Lake. It’s a great way to burn off calories before eating pumpkin pie and a great way to support Evergreen Christian Outreach. This is a relaxed event for the whole family including pets on leashes. The weather will not stop this event so come out and everybody will trot together! Please meet at the Church of Transfiguration which is located at 27640 Highway 74 at 8:30am. Registration is $20 and you may register at the EChO office during business hours, online at www.evergreenchristianoutreach.org, or day of event.

The past few months we have been working with Evergreen Christian Outreach to bring awareness to the community and come together to donate food and supplies for our neighbors who have fallen on tough times. Now that October has ended we were able to see the results of what our October Article in the Mountain Homes & Lifestyles section of the Canyon Courier brought awareness

to. September of 2011 there were 13,210 pounds donated from the churches, businesses, and individuals. After the October article ran there were 24,213 pounds donated. The churches added another 1,000 pounds to their monthly donations, the businesses donated 10-12,000 pounds, and where the increase of donations came from were individuals in the community bringing in 9,500 pounds! Thank you for extending a helping hand to mountain neighbors in need.

THANKSGIVING DINNER NEEDS LIST

* Instant Mashed Potatoes

* Cream of Mushroom Soup

* Cider

* French Fried Onion Topping

* Plastic Roasting Bags

* Disposable Roasting Pans

* Canned Cranberry Sauce

* Stuffing

* Gravy (mix or jarred)

* Canned Green Beans

* Coffee

* $10-$25 grocery gift cards

Perishable Items that can be donated starting November 14th

* Turkeys (large and small)

* Fresh Potatoes, Onions, Yams

* Pies

* Butter

* Whipped Topping

* Frozen Vegetables

As the weather gets colder and the snow continues to accumulate you may not realize how tough of times our neighbors have fallen on in Evergreen and who have become homeless living in tents. Supplies such as sleeping bags, snow boots, firewood, new long underwear and other supplies are in desperate need as the weather gets colder. Evergreen Christian Outreach is also in immediate need of children’s winter clothing.