Shrewsbury woman leads Thanksgiving turkey drive for almost 300 families

Hours before the first cars will pull into the driveway at Shrewsbury's Scandinavian Athletic Club parking lot, volunteers are filling individual bags with everything families need for a Thanksgiving dinner. This year 266 people have requested a meal basket, more than any year since COVID. They don't have to prove any hardship or financial status to receive a basket. They just have to ask. As long as there are baskets, no one will be turned away.

Organizer Andrea Castinetti moves among volunteers with greetings and hugs explaining how they'll build the baskets and handing out bags. She launched the event eight years ago. She fundraises on her Facebook page, works with local businesses that provide the side dishes, and leads a team of volunteers-many of whom return every year.

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