Specifically, says Oakland hills resident Dan McClosky, a successful Thanksgiving turkey donation drive benefiting the Alameda County Community Food Bank could serve as a model for a similar Christmas food drive.

Inspired by a 1998 Montclarion article about a holiday shortage at the food bank, McClosky rallied friends and family to raise $550 that year -- enough to buy 53 turkeys.

Since then, McClosky has repeated the effort each year, working with Temple Sinai and six other East Bay synagogues to raise a total of $140,000. That's 17,500 turkeys.

The food bank says the drive is a blessing for the families it serves.

"Each year we find that more families need food assistance during the holidays, as even working families struggle to make ends meet," said Suzan Bateson, executive director of the food bank. "Calls to our food hotline are up 50 percent this year. Without this drive, we wouldn't be able to provide enough turkeys for all the hungry families in our community."

But McClosky says there remains a need for turkeys at Christmas time. He's hoping someone else wants to pitch in and help.

"We're looking for some other religious organizations in the East Bay to take up the charge and do a similar turkey drive for Christmas," McClosky said. "It's easy to do, and it feeds so many people."

McClosky said he'd be happy to help another organization get such a drive off the ground and share information on how to get fliers made and distributed to get the word out. He can be reached at## danmcclosky@yahoo.com or call 510-836-2513.

To volunteer, give food, or make a monetary donation to the Alameda County Community Food Bank, visit www.accfb.org or call 834-3663. To request food assistance, call 1-800-870-3663.

Reach Eric Kurhi at## ekurhi@cctimes.com or 748-1686.

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