This year, approximately 250 local residents will receive baskets through the Winnemucca Ministerial Association’s annual holiday food basket program. Each basket will contain a ham, a turkey, or a chicken as well as an assortment of food that can be prepared for a holiday meal, including a five pound sack of potatoes  and canned yams. However, Ministerial Association Treasurer and Volunteer Ed Klemish explained that these baskets will be designed to provide recipients with groceries that will last beyond their holiday dinner.

“There will be items such as cans of spaghetti, ramen noodles, an assortment of Cambell’s soups, tuna fish, and tuna helper,” he said. “It’s a nice assortment of food for the holidays and a few days after the holidays. It’s not just for a one day meal.”

Although the holiday food basket distribution is a program of the Ministerial Association, Klemish stressed that it would not be possible without the support of many other area businesses and individuals. He noted that the fresh potatoes have been donated by Winnemucca Farms, and praised the local branch of Raleys supermarket and all of the area schools for contributing thousands of pounds of food through various food drives. The Winnemucca Ministerial Association will also spend approximately five-thousand dollars to purchase additional items for this year’s baskets.

Like the contents of the baskets, the labor needed to assemble and deliver them will also be contributed through joint efforts between the Winnemucca Ministerial Association and other area organizations. Klemish explained that local youth groups will be gathering at the fairgrounds at 9 am on December 21 to pack the baskets and prepare them for delivery. The baskets will be delivered on December 22.