FREEPORT – Late last month, it appeared that the Freeport Community Services’ food pantry, which serves residents of both Freeport and Pownal, was going to have trouble getting Thanksgiving turkeys.

That’s because after many years supplying food pantries in southern Maine with frozen turkeys for clients’ Thanksgiving dinner, the Good Shepherd Food-Bank this year decided not to provide turkeys.

According to Good Shepherd’s communications manager, Clara McConnell, the Auburn- and Portland-based food distribution center sold about 10,000 turkeys at cut-rate prices to food pantries throughout Maine in the past. However, that practice is being discontinued this year due to potential food contamination issues and logistical difficulties, since the turkeys had to be distributed in a short period just before the holiday.

Sue Mack, the family services coordinator for Freeport Community Services, said she usually got about half the 120 turkeys that she needed each year from Good Shepherd, and while Good Shepherd did give her $200 in grocery store gift cards, she was going to have to rely on the community for the rest.

“I have confidence that folks will come through for that,” she said in October.

She was right.

On Nov. 15, the Freeport Rotary announced that it had raised about $1,200 from members, enough to buy 80, 12- to 15-pound turkeys for the food pantry.

James Hendricks, the chairman of the Freeport Town Council and a member of the Rotary Club, said the members readily donated once they learned of the need.

“As of yesterday morning I had $800 and by the end of (yesterday’s Rotary) meeting I had $1,200,” he said.

“People gave $20, $50 what ever they (could),” Ranjit Gill, the president of the Freeport Rotary said. “The Rotary Club comes through and people just give.”

Mack said she was grateful for the donation.

“Without turkeys, there’s really no thanksgiving,” Mack said. “It’s critical. The Rotary really saved the day.”

Mack added that she would be able to get the rest of the turkeys she needs through donations from individuals. She said that the food pantry is getting a lot of turkeys from the community.

“There’s a lot of people coming in with one or two turkeys,” she said.

Mack also said that despite not giving out turkeys, Good Shepherd has played a big role in putting together Thanksgiving meals for the shelter.

“We know that they could not supply turkeys this year,” Mack said. “Boy, have they come through big time with stuffing and cranberry sauce and gravy and the other things that we need. They have donated to food pantries enormous amounts of the other stuff. So the missing piece was the turkeys and folks have plugged that gap and we’re going to have a nice Thanksgiving for a lot of families next week.”

Sue Mack, the family services coordinator for Freeport Community Services, left, and Bob Lyman, Freeport Community Services executive director, far right, receive the first of a donation of 80 turkeys from Freeport Rotarians, from left, James Hendricks, Ranjit Gill and Tom Wilbur on Nov. 15.