LYNN — Hundreds of students will take home a turkey to eat with their families on Thanksgiving this year, thanks to a man who has made a tradition out of handing out frozen birds.
Among those students are more than 35 children at Lynn English High School with special needs.
“The guy’s like a saint,” said Jeremy Lundrigan, a freshman in the school’s Life Skills program.
His classmates agreed.
“It’s nice and saves us money,” said Mike Guzman. “It’s nice to have Thanksgiving to hang out with friends and family and help them cook.”
Student Nicolas Garcia added that the gesture was in the spirit of the true meaning of Thanksgiving.
Michael Quintana, of Lynn, donated more than 250 frozen birds in Lynn and Salem on Friday.
Quintana began trotting out turkeys in 2014 when he donated 15-20 to the Salvation Army. He grew up in a big family that didn’t always have it easy, and told himself as he got older that when he was in a position to give back, he was going to.
“I want to teach my daughter the same values,” he said. “Growing up, when you don’t have anything, you appreciate it. Then you realize that some people have it worse than you. And that’s really where it started.”
The next year, he teamed up with Anthony Seaforth, who he played high school football and basketball with, to donate meals to families of Lynn high school students. Seaforth runs the No Ceilings youth group, a nonprofit that targets student-athletes in grades 9-12 by providing academic support and social mentorship. Through that connection, about 60 students took turkeys home to their families for the holiday.
In 2016, Quintana purchased 100 turkeys and collected donations for about 30 more from Dan’s Auto Body in Peabody, and private donations from Lynn residents. Quintana gave more than 60 to families of Lynn Classical High School students and more than 40 to Lynn English High School students. The remaining turkeys were given to individuals who reached out seeking Quintana’s help.
This year, with the help of his cousins Leny Thomas, who is in the nutritional catering business, and Billy Baru, he stepped it up and doubled the number of frozen birds. About 30 went to Lynn Classical, 50 to Lynn English, 20 to Fecteau-Leary Junior/Senior High School, 20 to the Boys and Girls Club of Lynn, and 38 to a group home in Salem.
The donation at Lynn English will help more than 35 Life Skills students, all students involved with JROTC, and a few others in need, said vice principal Gary Molea.
Next year, the group hopes to increase the number of donations to be able to provide each student in one school a turkey to bring home to their family. Even if the child’s family could afford it, he said it teaches a lesson in pulling their own weight and providing for their family.
He hopes other organizations and donors will get involved to make the project sustainable for years to come.
