Another year, yet another triumphant Thanksgiving food drive. Amid chilly temperatures and scattered rain, the United Way of Lake County recently distributed over 800 turkeys, along with all the traditional fixings, from its office at 9285 Progress Parkway in Mentor during its annual “United for the Holidays.” The sum surpasses the 680 turkeys handed out last year due to increased need and the generosity of donors, officials confirmed, adding items were delivered to 35 Lake County food pantries. United Way of Lake County recently held its annual Thanksgiving food drive, dubbed, “United for the Holidays,” at its office in Mentor, where over 800 turkeys were distributed to 35 local pantries. (Chad Felton — The News-Herald) Volunteers from the Steris Corp., the Men of Honor Social Club, and the Matt Mormile – Farmers Insurance Agency were on-site to unload and aid delivery, which included mashed potatoes, yams, stuffing, gravy, and fudge brownie mix, green beans, and cranberry sauce. “This is our fifth year volunteering and helping with the drive, and our quarterly ‘Day of Caring,’ ” said Matt Mormile. “And it’s nice to get out of the office and help people during this time of the year.” Of the 860-plus turkeys, approximately 100 were donated by PCC Airfoils in Mentor, with 60 donated by the Aexcel Corp., also based in Mentor. Items were also donated by Ridge Elementary School in Mentor, the Mentor Cleaning Authority, ViaQuest, and Advance America. The over $24,000 in food was funded by those who gave to UWLC’s spring “Feed Lake County” fundraiser, which included a $25,000 match donated by Mentor-based Buyers Products Co. and a grant from the Jerome T. Osborne and Georgeanne S. Osborne Charitable Trust which was received last winter. With supermarket prices 25 percent higher than they were in 2020, the drive remains vital, UWLC officials noted, as 5,040 children in Lake County are estimated to be living with food insecurity, totaling 10.8 percent of the population, and 22,740 adults, totaling 9.8 percent. Moreover, 6.5 percent of seniors, 60 years of age and up, are also estimated to be living with food insecurity. Officials added that nearly one-third of Lake County households, 33 percent, struggle to afford basic needs, including the “working poor” — a stark 24 percent of the population that does not benefit from government assistance — on top of the 9 percent who live in poverty. “This is why our work, the community’s work, is so important,” said UWLC President and CEO Dione DeMitro. “And all contributions allow us to continue doing this….every single event we hold, every time someone buys a raffle ticket, for example, even though they may think it’s one or two dollars, it all makes days like this happen. “I can’t imagine what it would be like to be approaching Thanksgiving and think you couldn’t have the traditional dinner with your family, so I’m glad we get to do this.” For a list of pantries, visit uwlc.org/food-pantries. Those in a position to donate are asked to visit uwlc.org/give. Checks payable to United Way of Lake County can also be mailed to them at 9285 Progress Parkway, Mentor, OH 44060. Attention: FLC.