MOSES LAKE - For the fourth year, REC Silicon combined work safety observations with a Thanksgiving turkey drive.

It resulted in the company's donation of 250 turkeys to the Moses Lake Food Bank.

When REC Silicon employees make safety observations during a work task, the observation critique is studied and learned from.

The task can be as simple as using a ladder to change a light, to as complex as a reactor turnaround, which includes using a crane to hoist a 20-ton bell jar, said Ryan Dunn, a company spokesperson.

The company gave a turkey to the food bank for every two observations made in October.

The program, dubbed "Observation Turkey Drive," begun at REC Silicon's Butte, Mont. plant.

In Moses Lake, employee Rod Garza facilitates the effort, which is done through the company's Workplace Accident Risk Reduction Is Our Responsibility (WARRIOR) process.

The program brought more than 600 turkeys to Moses Lake-area families in three years.

"We have over 400 folks WARRIOR-trained at the Moses Lake plant, so the obvious answer would be 400 (turkeys)," stated Garza about his goal for 2012. "But we have to be realistic. I would like to see 300 turkeys donated next year."

Peny Archer, operations manager of the Moses Lake Food Bank, said without the turkey donations, the food bank would be "in desperate shape."

REC Silicon and Samaritan Healthcare donated about 518 turkeys, with Samaritan providing 268 turkeys so far, she said.

The food bank is distributing food baskets this week and accepting donations.

Unused turkeys are saved for Christmas, but "we plan on distributing all we have for Thanksgiving," Archer explained.

She expects between 1,500 to 1,600 families use the food bank during Thanksgiving.

Since July 1, 3,060 families received help from the food bank.

Many recipients are working, but are having their hours reduced at work, Archer said.

"The community is really pulling together even though they're suffering," she commented. "The donors are feeling cutbacks and the pinch too."