From 70 short to hundreds in surplus, hundreds donate turkeys to Ft. Carson troops

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- When a group of people, including charitable leaders and Mrs. Colorado, visited Ft. Carson near Colorado Springs, they weren't expecting to find a shortfall of food. They set out to fix that. 

Nikki Biggs, a charitable leader who works with both Sock it to Em and Panties to the People!, said she went with Mrs. Colorado 2016 Erica Sharp Shields to visit Ft. Carson as hundreds of troops returned to base. 

Biggs said the group was in tears for most of the day, between a reunion of 215 soldiers and their families, and learning an organization that provides the troops with meals for Thanksgiving had fallen on hard times and didn't have enough food for the upcoming feast. 

Organizers from Warriors' Warehouse said they were at least 70 turkeys short on Sunday, when Biggs and Shields reached out to their friends and families online. 

That's when Biggs said they returned to Denver, determined to help. The two planned a turkey drive for Monday, but said they were surprised to learn upon returning to the city Sunday night that friends in Colorado Springs had already donated the 70 needed turkeys. 

That didn't stop the group from pushing for more turkeys for those in need. Biggs and Shields continued to organize a turkey drive, turning up more than 300 turkeys for soldiers and the less fortunate in Ft. Carson.

Biggs said that's not all people can do. She said troops are frequently in need of soap, hygiene products, socks and more. 

In order to help, check out Sock it to Em on Facebook.