Fifty local families in need will sit down to delicious turkey dinners on Thanksgiving thanks to a group of community-minded bikers.
Thirteen members of Forbidden Wheels ? a recreational motorcycle group with local charters throughout Michigan ? rumbled into the sleepy little hamlet of Thomas Sunday afternoon to deliver 50 frozen turkeys to Oxford-Orion FISH.
The turkeys were given away to needy folks as FISH handed out 183 baskets full of traditional holiday victuals earlier this week.
This was the second straight year Forbidden Wheels donated a load of turkeys to FISH.
‘It makes you feel good to be able to give back,? said Oxford resident Todd ‘Tank? Drolshagen, president of the Forbidden Wheels Oakland County Charter. ‘It’s nice to be able to do things for people that need help.?
Founded in 1965, Forbidden Wheels has seven charters across the state including Detroit, Brighton, Lenawee County, Ypsilanti, Mid-Michigan, Hell and Oakland County.
‘We’re over 200 (members) strong statewide,? Drolshagen said.
Forbidden Wheels? turkey donation not only helped feed the hungry on Thanksgiving, it also saved FISH money to help others. ‘We would have given everybody a turkey,? explained Pantry Manager Val Cass, ‘but (the money) would have had to come out of the account we use to help people with financial emergencies, like for rent or utility shut-offs, things like that.?
Forbidden Wheels? donation ‘freed up a considerable amount of money that we can now use to help other people,? according to Cass. ‘It makes our dollar go farther.?
FISH was particularly grateful for Forbidden Wheels? donation as the demand for free food from its pantry in Thomas continues to grow by leaps and bounds.
In October, FISH set a new record distributing 9,750 pounds of food to 353 people.
‘It’s been growing every single month,? Cass said. ‘Each month I make a report to the (FISH) board (of directors) and I say, ‘New record.??
Unfortunately, the food supply is having a tough time keeping pace with the higher demand because donations to FISH are down.
Cass said the group’s holiday food drive received about 90 percent of what it usually does.
Normally, FISH’s November drive keeps the group’s pantry full until May when carriers from the Oxford and Lake Orion post offices do their nonperishable food collection. The need for another food drive will likely arise sometime in February, according to Cass.
Hard economic times are behind not only the increased demand for food, but the decline in giving as well.
‘You can understand why,? Cass said. ‘People are just not having as easy a time as they were. The middle class is not getting the overtime, things like that.?