'Basket Brigade' Delivers Thanksgiving to Tri-Town Clients

SMITHFIELD – A local karate studio is continuing to collect donations for its ‘Basket Brigade’ fundraiser, which provides complete Thanksgiving meals for Tri-Town Community Action Agency clients in the area.

This marks the tenth year that American Martial Arts, at 3 Commerce St., has organized the drive, which includes delivering the meals directly to the homes of clients.

“We are extremely grateful to Kelly Demirgioglu and the families at American Martial Arts for their work in helping to provide Thanksgiving to our clients,” said Tri-Town CEO Joseph DeSantis. “Their generosity is a great example of how people in the community can step up and make a difference in the lives of local families.”

Demirgioglu explained that AMA started the annual effort in 2005, after trying to figure out how to identify families who needed the help at Thanksgiving.

“We didn’t know how to get the names at first,” Demirglioglu recalled, “and then we contacted [Special Projects Director] Dave Banno at Tri-Town and he said ‘Absolutely, we have the information you need.’”

Every year, she added, AMA works to provide 100 Thanksgiving meals, at a cost of $35 each. Brigido’s IGA in Pascoag provides turkeys and roasting pans, plus stuffing, vegetables, cranberry, and other items for every family.

For the students and their families at AMA, Demirgioglu said there’s more than just the collection of money that’s involved with the Basket Brigade.

“Calling all the families and making sure they’ll be home is a big part of it,” she explained, adding that AMA volunteers try to avoid leaving the meals unattended at clients’ homes. “It’s a good lesson for our kids to see the people who get the baskets – it’s a very rewarding day for the students.”

This year’s delivery is scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 22, and the studio will continue to accept cash and check donations through Friday, Nov, 20.

Call (401) 949-3525 for more information.