Good morning, Portage.

Beacon Health in Kalamazoo gave each of its 11,000 employees a turkey on Thursday as part of its annual Thanksgiving tradition.

Staff lined up outside the hospital to pick up their birds—and any unclaimed turkeys were donated to local food banks.

The Salvation Army of Kalamazoo is offering a free Christmas toy shop to help families in West Michigan, where parents can choose one large toy, one small toy, a book for each eligible child, and a game for each household.

More than 2,500 children are expected to be served if families sign up by Dec. 8 — a program designed to ease holiday financial pressures.

Kalamazoo County contributed $17,200 to add 33 new lockers at Ministry with Community to give the homeless a safe place for their important possessions+ the new lockers, which are the size of high school lockers, will arrive in about six weeks using unallocated COVID-19 funds.

Portage’s new city-led Stanwood Crossings development has nearly finished its first two of 42 single-family homes on a 14-acre site between Austin Lake and West Lake—offering affordable options for buyers earning 80% to 120% of the median income.

Buyers will get varied home styles with two-car garages that will be listed 25% below market price while leasing the land to build equity over time.

KAR Turkey Trot Time Prediction Run

2-3 p.m. — 7361 Moorsbridge Rd, Portage, MI — Family-friendly fun — Participate in a holiday tradition predicting your race time in this community run.

Portage Holiday Tree Lighting Celebration

6-8 p.m. — Celery Flats Historic Area — Free entry — Celebrate the season with tree lighting, Santa visits, and festive activities for the whole family.