By JessicaBeym

WASHINGTONTWP . The Washington Township Rotary clubs have their annual

Thanksgiving food basket drive down to a science. It's no surprise they've been doing 

it for more than 20 years. 

Both groups, the Washington Township Rotary and the Washington Township

Breakfast Rotary, have joined forces to organize the annual food drive.

This week, members of the groups packed up the boxes with the help of students

 at Rainbow Gymnastics and then delivered them to Mother's Cupboard in the

 municipal building on Tuesday.

The boxes large resealable storage bins donated by Drissel's Hardware were

stocked full of all the fixings for a Thanksgiving dinner boxes of stuffing mix, instant

 mashed potatoes, gravy mix, cans of corn, beans and cranberry sauce, applesauce

 and dinner rolls.

Rotary members unloaded the boxes on hand trucks as others wheeled in boxes

of frozen turkeys and apple pies that were purchased Tuesday morning.

Later, members of the community who signed up for a box were expected to

come in to pick them up in time for Thanksgiving.  Councilman Scott Newman, who

 is also president of the Washington Township Rotary, said the club collected donated

items, but most of the goods were bought using money from the Rotary's budget.

They also donate Easter baskets and Christmas gifts around the holidays.

"This year, there's people like all of us coming in to get them," Newman said of the

baskets. "It's unfortunate but its a sign of the times."   Donna Rullo, director of the

township's Family and Community Services department, said she was nervous that

there wouldn't be as many donations to Mother's Cupboard this year because many

of the people who donated in years before are also out of a job or are worried about

their own situation.  "Right now there's quite a need due to unemployment," Rullo said.

"We're delighted to get the amount of support we're seeing. People, out of kindness

and generosity, do think of people during Thanksgiving and Christmas to give to people