Community Harvest is Thanksgiving Tradition for Crystal Lake

The Crystal Lake Community Harvest is scheduled from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 28.

The harvest combines the efforts of the Crystal Lake Chamber, Crystal Lake Jaycees, and the Crystal Lake Food Pantry to collect food and funds throughout the fall season.  The food donations are distributed to local families, for use during the winter months. 

This year's harvest is located at the old Oak Industries building at 100 S. Main St. (attendees should enter from the north entrance to the building, which is located off Crystal Lake Avenue), Crystal Lake. 

For the past few weeks, many area organizations and businesses have been hosting food collection drives. Those groups - and even individuals - began dropping of the donations at the Community Harvest site this past Friday.

Drop-offs will continue this week, Monday through Wednesday, Nov. 25-27, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

On Thanksgiving morning, volunteers from throughout the community arrive to help pack and sort all the donations, which will be used to stock the Crystal Lake Food Pantry throughout the winter months.

Last year, nearly 1,000 people turned out to help, and the Crystal Lake community donated 85,985 pounds of food and $19,377 in funds during the Community Harvest drive, according to the Crystal Lake Chamber of Commerce.