What makes a holiday feast? Marshmallow yams, grandma’s classic mashed potatoes, a big turkey, pie or cranberry sauce? Many traditional dishes are brought together on the dining table for Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations.

But for the less fortunate, the holiday season often is beset by needs, including hunger. The Big Red Bucket food program offers holiday meals for the less fortunate, organized by Vanessa Markarian and Michelle Devereaux.

“Hands-on is good, and also being service-minded is important so it’s not all about [the teenagers],” Devereaux. “Kids need to know they are blessed and others are not.”

The Big Red Bucket food drive is a part of the Fashion Fair Mall School Cents program. For each completed bucket, the school recieves 5,000 points. Last year, the school donated 84 buckets. Markarian hopes to exceed 100 for this holiday season.

“Whenever we deliver the buckets to the organization, they get so excited to see all the participation,” Markarian said. “Last year all the buckets filled up Michelle’s [Devereaux] truck. This year, they’re getting a trucking company to help transfer all the food!”

Each meal can feed four to six people, costing $37 to fill a bucket. The points accumulate and the winner with the most points receives $2,500 as the reward, with prizes of lesser value for lower placements.

“I’m giving because it’s the right thing to do,” Joshua Jimenez, ’12, said. “I’m giving to people with no money and that are less fortunate than us.”

People filling a bucket can fill it up themselves, partner up with friends or give $37 or more in the form of Save Mart Supermarkets gift cards, and Markarian and Devereaux will purchase the items in their stead.

“I’m really excited I could give a little towards a Big Red Bucket and be a part of the picture of almost 100 buckets being given by FCS,” Yoko Killborne, high school secretary, said. “Also, this project earns points for FCS, so that’s great too.”

The Big Red Buckets are first distributed to the FC families in need, with the remaining delivered to the community through organizations. This year, Craycroft Youth Center, Fresno Rescue Mission and World Impact are distributing the campus’ packages of food.

“We gave all of the remaning boxes to World Impact last year,” Markarian said. “This year we decided to also give to Craycroft and the Fresno Rescue Mission because they also give to younger kids like the ones in the high school.”

Although a large portion of the student body gave to the cause, sophomore Zachary Camden says he did not hear the announcements and know about the drive.

“I didn’t know know about the food thing,” Camden said. “I would’ve brought food if I’d known about it.”

Publications adviser and freshman English teacher Greg Stobbe organized a sign-up sheet for anyone to donate to the cause.

“I think the food drive is a good idea,” Tyler Zaentz, ’12, said, “because it’s important for everyone to have a good meal on Thanksgiving.”

Over 20 other schools are participating in the food drive and are part of the School Cents program.

In order to complete a full holiday dinner or Big Red Bucket, those who still want to contribute should consider the following list. All of the following should be boxed or canned, and please do not include glass items. Each Big Red Bucket should include:

? $15 Gift certificate to be used for turkey/ham
? Bisquick
? Potatoes (boxed)
? Gravy
? Canned or powdered milk
? Stuffing mix
? Yams (2)
? Rice
? Beans (3) (kidney, black, pinto, etc.)
? Canned vegetables (2) (peas, carrots, etc)
? Cranberry sauce
? Olives or pickles
? Chicken broth (3)
? Pumpkin pie filling (sweetened)
? Pie Crust (ready-made, not refrigerated or frozen)
? Holiday cookies
? Aluminum roasting pans

Buckets should be turned into Stobbe by Friday, Nov. 21.

For more information, e-mail Vanessa Markarian or call her at (559) 940-3731. For past coverage of the Big Red Bucket program, visit the Nov. 8, 2007, article, Big Red Bucket donations aid community.