Navy Offers Free Turkeys for Sailors at Commissary

Sailors in need were treated to free turkeys, stuffing and other ingredients for a Thanksgiving Day meal by vendors at the Navy Commissary at Naval Outlying Landing Field, Imperial Beach this week.

Those in need across Navy Base Coronado installations were selected to take part, said Master Chief Kenneth Shiders.

About $25,000 in free food and holidays toys were given away, said store director Freddie Espiritu.

Espiritu said he's proud that the event that started 10 years ago has grown from serving 50 sailors to 500.

"This speaks volumes for community engagement," said NBC Executive Officer Christopher Sund. "This goes a long way toward fostering generosity in the community."

Assistance will continue to go out to service members in need this holiday season from the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, Fleet and Family Support Services and other groups, Sund said.

"They don't have to do this. They really don't. It's out of their business and their hearts they set out to help sailors to give back to our military serving in harm's way," said Master Chief Shiders, who helped organize the event with Espiritu and his staff.

"In this economic time, anything we can get to help offset some of the costs is a wonderful thing, so this is awesome," he said.

People come out of the wood works to help sailors in a fleet concentrated area, so if there's a sailor in need, they have to speak up, Shiders said.

"if there's a sailor out there that's in need that doesn't get assistance, it's only because that sailor hasn't opened his or her mouth up to say hey 'I need help.'

Because in the metro area itself, having come from overseas to here, one of the things that I truly like about this area are the people that are willing to give all year-round, but especially around this time of year."