CAMP PENDLETON, CA -- More than 1,000 Marines stationed at Camp Pendleton, CA, enjoyed a homemade Thanksgiving dinner through a program with the Camp Pendleton Armed Services Young Men's Christian Association (ASYMCA).
More than 350 local families signed up for the Y’s Home Hospitality event to invite Marines into their homes for Thanksgiving dinner.
“We place 1,100 (School of Infantry-West) students in local community homes for Thanksgiving day,” George Brown, executive director, ASYMCA, Camp Pendleton, told Scout News in San Diego. “This is a good opportunity for them to get off base and enjoy a home-cooked meal.”
In addition to turkey dinners, some $8,000 worth of electronics were raffled off while the Marines waited to be picked up by their host families.
The ASYMCA works in conjunction with Camp Pendleton’s School of Infantry Command to arrange eight-hour liberty passes for Marines to dine with area families on Thanksgiving.
During December, the ASYMCA hosts a Secret Santa program for Camp Pendleton service members and their families who qualify.