NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Three dozen local families will be feasting this Thanksgiving thanks to a local chef with some help from the Police Department.

 

Chris Bonnivier said he and his wife, Linda, have been providing 20 to 25 residents in tough financial circumstance with the ingredients for Thanksgiving and Christmas meals for a dozen years — doing the shopping, packing and delivery. 

 

"We got to the point, we have grandchildren now," he said. "We want to help. We're doing this by the grace of God, I'm a true believer, that we've been blessed and we're doing this on our own with his help." 

 

But the effort had become wearing ... until a few more hands volunteered to help. 

 

On Tuesday, Police Chief Mark Bailey and others gathered at 23 Eagle St. to pack bags with turkey and all the fixings. 

 

It started with a call to MaryAnn King, a dispatcher, about the annual public safety toy drive. Members of the Police and Fire Departments and Northern Berkshire EMS do a toy drive at Walmart then wrap and deliver hundreds of presents.

 

King's been leading that effort for years and last year provided to toys to nearly 200 children. She'd contacted Bonnivier about matching some funds for a pallet of toys; Bonnivier responded by donating the total cost of the pallet and asking for helping hands in return.