Call for turkeys
By Steve Herring
Published in News on November 13, 2013 1:46 PM
News-Argus/STEVE HERRING
Allan Pedersen, base liaison coordinator for the USO of North Carolina, loads food items collected as part of a food drive for needy families at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base this morning. The food drive will continue through Thursday. Needed items are turkeys and 14-ounce boxes of instant mashed potatoes. They may be dropped off at the News-Argus office at 310 N. Berkeley Blvd., or at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church on James Street. Cash donations are welcome as well.
The food boxes will be packed Monday and will be distributed on Nov. 22.
The base's first sergeants are spearheading Team Seymour Operation Warm Heart and have been working with the base squadrons to collect the food for the families.
They have done an "outstanding job," but the need still exceeded what they have been able to collect, Pedersen said.
Pedersen said 350 families had been determined by their units to need help.
Pedersen said he had received no official word, but that he is sure that some of the families have a family member who is deployed.
Checks should be made payable to Team Seymour Operation Warm Heart. They should be mailed to Allan D. Pedersen, Base Liaison Coordinator, USO of North Carolina, Seymour Johnson AFB, Building 3602, Room 117.
People also may call Pedersen at 919-722-7195 (office) or 919-922-5111 (cell).