Armed With Smiles, Pinellas Sheriff's Deputies Deliver Thanksgiving

INDIAN ROCKS BEACH, FL — They're putting the "serve" in the standard law enforcement motto, "Protect and Serve."

On Tuesday, deputies assigned to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office Community Policing Unit met at the loading dock behind the Publix in the Indian Rocks Shopping Center at 12022 Indian Rocks Road, Largo, and loaded their sheriff's vehicles with turkeys and all the fixings.

They then delivered the meals to more than 50 families in need with the help of the Indian Rocks Beach Rotary Club; Calvary Episcopal Church, 1615 1st St., Indian Rocks Beach; the Pinellas Suncoast Fire & Rescue District; and Publix.

Throughout the year, deputies identify about 50 families in need during their daily work in the community so they can provide them with the traditional holiday meal they might not otherwise be able to afford. The meals include a fully cooked turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, green beans, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, a loaf of bread, peanut butter, jelly, macaroni & cheese, snack cakes, iced tea and apple juice.

The turkey meals are funded through donations collected by the organizations involved.

This year, the effort attracted some new recruits. Salty's Island Grille on Clearwater Beach donated 12 turkeys and 12 hams to Deputy Alex Siem and Child Protective Investigator Pates and the Publix on Walsingham Road delivered 15 additional holiday meals to Cpl. Will Lawson and Deputy Henry McFadden.

This is the 19th year for the Thanksgiving meal event and the partnership between the organizations, which also host similar events for Christmas and Easter.

Calvary Episcopal Church's Holiday Meal Ministry is currently accepting donations for both the holiday meals and its food pantry. Throughout the year, the church provides food through its Beach Community Food Pantry, which is open every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at the church. The pantry is always in need of monetary donations and nonperishable food products.

If anyone would like to help with preparing and serving holiday meals, or volunteer in the food pantry, contact Calvary Episcopal Church at 727-595-2374.

Patch has teamed with Feeding America to help raise awareness on behalf of the millions of Americans facing hunger. Feeding America, which supports 200 food banks across the country, estimates that in 2020, more than 50 million Americans will not have enough nutritious food to eat due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. This is a Patch social good project; Feeding America receives 100 percent of donations. Find out how you can donate in your community or find a food pantry near you.