It is the day before Thanksgiving and North Whidbey Help House, located at 1091 SE Hathaway Street in Oak Harbor is pretty busy.

Outside, a snow-covered street causes unwary drivers to go sliding in their cars. 

But inside the warehouse, five first class petty officers from Whidbey Island Naval Air Station load boxes full of food while other men bring more food in or take it out while in the main building a crowd of people leaves only to be replaced by a new crowd and the phone does not stop ringing.

Overseeing it all is Jean T. Wieman, Executive Director of Help House.

“Thanksgiving is our busiest time of year, followed by Christmas,” Wieman said. But it’s never really slow.

According to Wieman, the need for food has increased 57 percent over last year requiring more than $35,000. So far. More than 80 percent comes from private donation.

People who donate physical labor have been appreciated since North Whidbey Help House was officially chartered July 7, 1977.

Like the five Whidbey sailors stuffing boxes with potatoes, vegetables, stew and ravioli, fruit, peanut butter, soup, pork and beans, oatmeal, cereal, eggs, pies and turkey.

The air station has always been a ready resource for volunteers. This year the volunteers came from Fleet Readiness Center Northwest Avionics/Armament Division, Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training Unit, VQ-1, VAQ-133, VQ-2, Wing 10, VR-61 and Naval Hospital Oak Harbor.

The Avionics Armament Sailors really seem to enjoy what they are doing. As Aviation Electronics Technician 1st Class Matt Marano said, “You wake up and go help other people for six hours the day before Thanksgiving; you can’t help but feel good.”

The Navy is in good company, with the Commissary, Albertson’s and Safeway all providing the Help House with daily pickups of food. Since 1993, Upchurch Scientific has run a contest between their employees that netted 17,000 pounds of food and they donated $15,000 to Help House. Churches donate; schools and private citizens also donate

On average the north Whidbey food bank averages 519 food baskets a month from Deception Pass to Greenbank, many of them helping to make a difference for our military families during the holidays.