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Alex Kaganzev turns 51 on Saturday, and he's hoping that people in Cumberland County are in a generous mood.

Not that Kaganzev is looking for gifts. Saturday is also the day the Vineland man and his friend Steve Plevins have set for what they're calling "Project Thanksgiving," a drive to collect turkeys for two Salvation Army offices in Cumberland County.

Normally, the Salvation Army offices receive turkeys from area food pantries, but the ongoing recession has pantries struggling to keep up with the increased demand for their help.

"That makes the turkey drive critical," Kaganzev said.

This isn't Kaganzev's first time helping the needy. He's been involved in community activism for more than two decades, including starting Project Santa, a holiday toy drive for needy children in Vineland.

Kaganzev said it was a stint in the Air Force in the late 1970s that awakened his desire to help out.

"I saw so much being spent on the military and so little money going to help the poor people. I realized someone needed to do something to help people less fortunate than ourselves," he said.

Project Santa began with Kaganzev and friends collecting used toys for distribution. Eventually, the program grew to collecting new toys and Kaganzev setting up an angel tree at the Vineland Public Library. Over the past two decades, Kaganzev said, the program has donated thousands of toys to needy kids.

"When I first started Project Santa, I figured I'd do it for five years. But now it's become a part of me," he said. "I realize that if I stop doing it, it might fall by the wayside."

Over the years, Kaganzev's desire to help people has gotten him involved in other projects. A case manager for the state Department of Human Services' Division of Developmental Disabilities, Kaganzev said he's volunteered his time to serve as a Big Brother with the Big Brothers and Big Sisters program. He's also been a scout leader and organized other food drives.

"The one thing I've always noticed is that people want to help out, but they don't know how. They are looking for a catalyst, something to point them in the right direction," Kaganzev said.

Kaganzev and Plevins began planning the turkey drive in May, enlisting the help of Bottino's ShopRite Supermarkets and radio station WVLT-92.1 FM.

The men hope to supply 600 turkeys to the Salvation Army offices in Bridgeton and Vineland.

"I hope we get a large amount of donations," said Plevins, who has also spent much of his life volunteering his time to help the needy. "We've pulled together a good bunch of groups (to help). We have a strong army to pull this thing off."

Donations can be dropped off between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Saturday at the Delsea ShopRite, 215 N. Delsea Dr. ,Vineland; Upper Deerfield ShopRite, Laurel Plaza, 1000 N. Pearl St., Upper Deerfield and ShopRite of Millville, 2130 North Second St. Donations will also be accepted at ShopRite of Landis Avenue, located at the intersection of Lincoln Avenue.

Contact Steven V. Cronin:

609-272-7242

SCronin@pressofac.com

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