Many of you have asked about the Turkey Party this year and I've been praying about what to do, thinking about it, having family meetings and have made a decision that I'd like to share with you all and hope that you will be as excited about this year's event as I am!

This year, the 10th year of the Turkey Party, will be a bit different than in years past.  We're taking it back to the beginning - the idea of simply providing turkeys to people in need for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner.  We're taking out the extraneous stuff - the party at my house, the appetizers, the raffle, etc. and just making it about collecting frozen turekys for the Redwood Gospel Mission.

On November 17th, instead of bringing your frozen turkeys to my house, bring them to New Life Christian Fellowship - 1310 Clegg Street in Petaluma.  This year the event will be called - The Two Ton Turkey Challenge!!  Last year we collected over one ton of turkeys here at my house and think that we can do even better this year with the help and involvement of the folks at New Life and friends from the neighborhood and surrounding community!

New Life's services are at 9:00 am, 11:00 am and 5:00 pm.  We'll be collecting turkeys all throughout the day on the 17th, from 9:00 am to 6:30 pm, so even though we'd LOVE to have you attend a service at New Life, you won't have to!  

Please save the date - mark your calendars, tell you friends and family, forward this message on and share it on social media and bring a FROZEN turkey, (or two, or more) to New Life on Sunday, November 17th!!

This event certainly isn't intended to be exclusive to those regularly attending New Life, the church is just the perfect spot for collecting turkeys throughout the day.  Hope to see you on the 17th!!  If you have any questions, please let me know!

Thank you so much and Happy Thanksgiving!! 

This is what 214 turkeys looks like!!!

Thanks to you we collected 214 turkeys that will be distributed throughout Sonoma County to feed our neighbors in need!  I am so grateful and humbled to be a part of this event.  However, there wouldn't be any turkey party without you and your turkeys that you bring and the time you spend and the food provided by all of the restaurants!  Please stop and say thank you to these restaurants when you next stop in!  Thank you just doesn't seem like its sufficient to express the gratitude for your participation in this year's event!   Make sure you visit our donating restaurants and donors and say thank you - we need to support community oriented businesses!!

A New Restaurant Joins In!

I can't even begin to tell you how emotional this week has been for me.  It started out with an email I received from someone who's life has been touched by The Turkey Party in the past and how grateful he is for you all - you who come and bring turkeys, shop the vendors and support the wonderful work of the Redwood Gospel Mission.  Yes, the email was sent to me, but without you, there is absolutely nothing I can do - without God, there is truly nothing I can do.  But with Him, I can - we can do ALL things!  And this Sunday we are going to do a wonderful thing - we are going to feed people!  And today, at the first "turkey event" of this weekend at Harvest Christian School I met a young man who's life is being changed, renewed, restored!  The Redwood Gospel Mission's rehab program is amazing and God is so present there, changing hearts and lives!  So excited to support such an amazing Mission!  Tell your friends and family!  We can do amazing things this weekend!

6 More Days!!!!

Thanksgiving is the one day that really hasn't been taken over by mass marketing and commercialism.  I think that's why it's my favorite holiday!  There's no gifts, no real shopping to do, no pressure, just a great traditional meal served to family and friends.  A moment to share time together and to reflect on the things we have to be grateful for; because even in the tough times, there is always something to be thankful for.  Really, a traditional Thanksgiving dinner is a simple meal:  turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, a vegetable dish and pie!  But this simple meal evokes memories that last a lifetime.  Most people, when I ask them about Thanksgiving, smile, before saying even the first word.  This simple dinner is powerful!   Together, we can help to ensure that everyone who needs this simple meal, this special food memory has this opportunity.  The wonderful, generous participating restaurants are lined up.  The vendors are ready!  The raffle is going to be amazing!  Now, all we need is you, your friends, your family and your frozen turkeys!  See you on Sunday!  Thank you from the bottom of my heart.  Your generosity is wonderful to see and humbling!

New Donors!!

I absolutely love Petaluma!  We are a community of wonderfully involved people totally dedicated to making our little spot of earth we call home a better place to be!  Everyone I meet has their passion project, a cause that grabs their heart and won't let go!  I can't even believe how perfect that is - that we were all created that way, so that we, as a community can meet the needs of those in need all around us.  This town is especially filled with businesses who have those same hearts, who jump in to help where there is need!  Our newest donating restaurants and groceries fit that description perfectly.  Pongos Kitchen, Lily Kai, Viva Cocolat and G & G Market.  Places that define community spirit!  Please take a look at this list on the right of this blog - visit these places, thank the owners, make them your neighborhood hangouts!  We need to appreciate these community service oriented businesses!

Raffle!!!!

That's right!  Amazing, don't you think?  This year we are having a raffle!The items will be amazing, you don't want to miss this!!

Have a look around this post to see some of the items that will be raffled at the Turkey Party!  We have a mini shoot with an 8x10 from Gina Petersen photography! A magnum of Hook and Ladder Pinot Noir 2011, an item of jewelry from Premier Designs Jewelry and gift certificates from Hobby Town!  I am completely humbled by the wonderful donations that got this raffle started!  So many reasons to come to the Turkey Party on November 11th!  The food, the friends, the shopping and now a chance to win one of these wonderful items!!  Oh, and don't forget the opportunity to make someone else's Thanksgiving meal complete!

Tell your friends - repost on your Facebook page!

Let's make this year's 

Turkey Party the best ever!!!!!

Updates!

Aren't these bags adorable?  They are created by the women of the Redwood Gospel Mission, who learn to "upcycle" t-shirts that aren't usable at the thrift store to usable, functional, super cute bags!  

Some of the women from the Mission will be at the Turkey Party selling these great bags - what great Christmas gifts they will make!