Mundelein police, Elly's team up to distribute turkeys to needy familiies

It took all of 20 minutes, and in a blur, 75 turkeys were off to their holiday destinations.

The Mundelein Police Department and Elly's Pancake House in Mundelein teamed up to provide families in need with a complete Thanksgiving meal. The turkeys were donated be Elly's and the side dishes provided by the Mundelein After School Coalition and the Fremont Township Girl Scout Troop.

"This is the 14th year that we have teamed up with Elly's to help make the Thanksgiving holiday a little easier for some of our families in need. None of this would be possible without the assistance of Elly's," Mundelein Police Chief Eric Guenther said Tuesday. "It's just a great feeling to give back to the community and help those who need it. This is the part of my job that makes it all worth it."

Elly's Manager Tom Kay said the tradition is a way for the restaurant to give back to the community and to say thanks.

"This is my first year of doing this, and it's both enlightening and special to be a part of this tradition at Elly's," Kay said.

Of the 75 turkeys, 30 were distributed to the Fremont Township Food Pantry, five to St. Vincent DePaul in Libertyville, and 40 went to Mundelein families chosen through contacts developed by the police department, local churches and school districts that provided names of families in need.