DAN SIMMONS / Special to the PVT Pahrump Senior Center board president Jim Gronemann, center, poses with Thanksgiving turkeys at the Pahrump Senior Center kitchen, flanked by Nye County Commission Chairman Gary Hollis, at left, and Nye County District Attorney Bob Beckett. Advertisement

American patriot Benjamin Franklin liked the turkey so much he wanted to make it the national symbol instead of the bald eagle.

Pilgrims cooked a turkey dinner to celebrate their successful harvest after arriving in the New World and invited the indigenous population. Nowadays many Americans will invite neighbors and relatives to dinner as well this coming Thursday.

The less fortunate won't be left out either. Pahrump organizations are stocking up the venerable fowl and all the other fixings to make for a plentiful meal.

Maria Ochoa, a bilingual family support specialist at the Pahrump Family Resource Center, said close to 100 families have signed up for turkey giveaways taking place Monday through Wednesday at the No To Abuse office at 621 Blagg Road.

The economy is affecting the number of applicants, who have to be certified as eligible, she said.

"Money is tighter this year than it was last year, so yes, there have been more people signing up," Ochoa said.

Capt. Arlene Torres from the Salvation Army however, thought her application numbers were down this year. The Salvation Army will also hand out turkey dinners with all the trimmings to about 100 people, in office space provided by Shadow Mountain Construction Co. at 1601 E. Basin Ave., Suite 103-104, Saturday, Monday and Tuesday.

The Boy Scouts are conducting a food drive for the Salvation Army and collecting pumpkin pies in front of Smith's Food and Drug Store this Saturday, Torres said.

After the turkeys are handed out for Thanksgiving, the Salvation Army will be taking applications for Christmas dinners until Dec. 15. They also will begin their annual coat drive.

Those who want an already cooked turkey dinner, can stop at the Bob Ruud Community Center Thanksgiving from 11-1:30 p.m. for a turkey dinner put on by Church on a Mission. Pastor Paul Jordan and his helpers will serve dinner not only to the homeless but have invited anyone who wants to enjoy Thanksgiving dinner with some company.

Volunteers for the dinner and donors are still being requested.

Pahrump Senior Center Board President Jim Gronemann said they will get an early start on Thanksgiving dinner with a meal at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Gronemann said 27 turkeys and all the fixings have been donated to the senior center, from Focus Property Group, dermatologist Dr. Jeffrey Gunther and Assemblyman Ed Goedhart, R-Amargosa Valley. Members of the Nye County Commission and Pahrump town board have been asked to help serve dinner, Gronemann said.

Nye County Commission Chairman Gary Hollis helped out with a donation; his wife Geneva Hollis will donate some of her knitted afghans as well, Gronemann said.

At last count, 75 people signed up for the senior center dinner, he said.