SAN DIEGO -- More than 600 families arrived at Petco Park earlier this week, and more than 600 families returned home with a full Thanksgiving meal ready to be enjoyed.
The Padres' second annual Thanksgiving Turkey Distribution was a success once again. And the event appears to be growing into a staple of the San Diego community going forward.
The Padres have partnered with the San Diego Food Bank to host the event each of the last two years. This month, the Food Bank identified 620 local families in need who turned up at Petco Park on Monday morning to receive a full Thanksgiving meal, including turkeys and traditional Thanksgiving sides.
Children in attendance interacted with the Padres' Friar mascot and Pad Squad. And perhaps most importantly, the event marked a cost-effective way to open the holiday season for families in need.
"The families can save the money they otherwise would've gone out and spent on the food, and they have a little extra cash to maybe get their kids Christmas gifts or whatnot," said Tom Seidler, the Padres' senior vice president of community affairs. "It's just a good fit for us to do things like this, just to see the families that came out, how appreciative they were, it's a good reminder to all of us that are a little bit more fortunate, to be grateful. What better week to be thankful and grateful than this week?"
The Padres teamed up with Ballast Point Brewing Co. to co-fund the event, which took place at Petco Park's main entrance.
"The best reactions from some of families were from some of the kids that came," said Seidler. "They were having fun. They saw the Friar and the Pad Squad gals, and it was an event for them. It wasn't just Thanksgiving dinner being served in a few days. It was them coming out to the ballpark and having a little bit of fun.
"Seeing smiles on their faces is always inspiring to those of us on the other side of the equation."
The Turkey Distribution is the latest in an important month for the Padres in the San Diego community. Two weekends ago, Petco Park played host to Padres Pedal the Cause, a cycling fundraiser to raise money for four major cancer research facilities in San Diego. This year, the event raised $1.8 million, bringing the five-year total to nearly $4.8 million.
Padres Pedal the Cause has become a fixture on the calendar in San Diego, a highly anticipated event that brings a number of local institutions together for a worthwhile cause.
The Padres' Turkey Distribution, while smaller in scope, adds another impactful event to the November docket. After another successful year, it's here to stay.
"It really is a pretty simple event for us, because, in large part, the Food Bank is such a great partner of ours," Seidler said. "They do a great job identifying the families and sourcing the food for us. So it ends up being a great event -- one that I imagine we'll do every year for a long period of time."