Area volunteers are collecting Thanksgiving meal items to be distributed among DeKalb area residents in need.

“Everything for a Thanksgiving meal” is needed, said Capt. Alex Norton, Salvation Army pastor administrator. This includes everything from mashed potatoes and gravy to cake batter mixes for desserts that will be divided into laundry baskets and distributed among DeKalb-area residents.

“As much as [we] can get is needed,” Norton said. “We have a lot of people who need food, and [we will] serve anyone who needs it.”

Thanksgiving baskets have been collected every year in the United States since 1908.

Meat items such as hams, turkeys and chickens were donated during an event called “Let’s Talk Turkey” which began in 1991.

“Let’s Talk Turkey” was held Monday. WLBK 1360 held a marathon the entire day to help publicize the event.

The number of food baskets distributed varies from year to year due to factors such as the economy’s fluctuation and families’ budgets around the holiday season.

More than 300 families in DeKalb have registered to receive food baskets this year.

Salvation Army volunteer Laura Petryka receives a food basket each year. She said she does all the cooking as a single mother with four children. Recently, it has been hard for her to find a job because of the tight job market and her taking care of her children and attending Kishwaukee College.

Susanna Campos is a single mother of four and is also a Salvation Army volunteer.

“They have cakes and brownies; I have my kids help me with that,” Campos said.

DeKalb residents can buy a meat item and drop it off at the Salvation Army, 830 Grove St.

The Salvation Army also collects new toys around the holidays and is in need of volunteer bell-ringers during the holiday season. Interested students may call Norton at 756-4308.