November 25, 2010 (Sacramento) -- After hearing that a Salvation Army in Compton was overwhelmed with 140 more requests from needy families for turkeys than it could fill, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger took action. He called the center and wrote a check for 240 turkeys, "to make sure you don't run out," the Los Angeles Times reported.
In his weekly California Report, the Governor recalled his immigrant roots, expressed gratitude for his success in America, and urged all Californias to give back to people in need. Here are his remarks:
This is Thanksgiving weekend, one of my favorite times of the year.
Thanksgiving is all about giving back and showing gratitude.
And I can tell you that no one is more grateful and appreciative than an immigrant like me.
I came to this country more than 40 years ago in 1968, right before Thanksgiving.
I had heard about this holiday and read about it in books.
But let me tell you, that first Thanksgiving is a day I will never forget.
America welcomed me with open arms.
I had absolutely nothing when I came here.
No house, no money, no furniture. Nothing.
But I had big dreams, and I had that fire in the belly and determination.
And this country made every one of them come true.
Everything that I have accomplished I have accomplished because of America.
America is without a doubt the greatest place in the world.
It is truly the land of opportunity.
And that is why I am so committed to giving back in big ways such as serving the Special Olympics, after-school programs and as Governor of the state of California.
And in small ways such as providing turkeys, pies and vegetables for hungry families in California, so that they can celebrate Thanksgiving, too.
We should all give back.
So please take the time this weekend to do just that.
Just take a look around.
No matter what your situation is there is someone who needs your help –
and needs you.
So Maria and I want to wish you a wonderful holiday weekend.
And we want to say thank you to all of you – the wonderful people of California – who make this the best place in the world.
Thank you for watching, and thank you for listening.
The 1-minute, 59-second audio address is available at:
http://gov.ca.gov/mp3/press/govaddress_giving_thanks_11272010.mp3. The file is 466 KB.
The 2-minute, 2-second video address is available at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBJyHL6ddYE.