VALLEY CENTER -- Thanksgiving came a little early to families in the Valley Center Head Start program, thanks to some California Highway Patrol officers. On Tuesday morning, the officers drove two large pick-up trucks into the center's parking lot to deliver 94 turkeys to the approximately 90 families with children in the program.

Head Start is a federally-funded program to help children ages 3 to 5 work on basic educational skills. The program has been running in Valley Center for more than 20 years.

The turkey giveaway, sponsored by the Highway Patrol and the North San Diego County Chapter of the Gold Wing Motorcycle Association, is in its second year. This year, five active duty officers as well as five CHP volunteers attended the event on the Rincon Indian Reservation. Five members of the motorcycle club also pulled up on their gleaming bikes.

The total cost of the food was about $1,400, half of which was raised by the Gold Wing club. The other half came from a Highway Patrol fund set up for charitable events.

"This is one of the poorest areas in the county and really needs our assistance," said CHP Officer Joel Arding. "We are on a reservation but these are not Native American families and so they don't get any money from the gambling industry."

Nancy O'Dowd, the head start program area director, said that many of the parents involved in the program were farm laborers who worked the local fields. She recalled visiting a family of five that all lived in one small trailer with only one bed.

Despite such hardships, the 90 families involved were incredibly enthusiastic about the Head Start program and being given a chance to cook their first Thanksgiving meal.

"The program has been such a blessing for my child so that he can learn English early," said Sonya Hernandez, mother of 3-year-old Juan-Jose Hernandez. "This will be my family's first Thanksgiving and we could not have done it without the free turkey."

All of the children also received free teddy bears made by children from French Valley Elementary School in Temecula.

After each family collected their turkey and the children received the teddy bears, the kids were also allowed to sit on an officer's motorcycle while their picture was taken. As the families walked off, individually and in pairs, the children held tight to the bears and the mothers carried the turkey and the Polaroid photo of their child.

Aside from helping out families in need, the event also serves to establish a better relationship between the families and law enforcement.

"Most of these families don't have much experience with officers," Arding said. "This is a way for them to become more comfortable with coming to us for help."

Doroteo Avila, one of the few fathers present, said that the event had given him a positive perspective on law enforcement and that it would help his children become more familiar with the police.

Four-year-old Martin Rico clutched his bear as he said he had a wonderful time but wasn't sure what to name the teddy.

The CHP and the motorcycle club will be back in December to bring the children Christmas presents and a ham for each family.

Contact staff writer Edward Graham at egraham@nctimes.com