01/05/2010
Families in Need Get Donations Through Turkey Hunters Care
MANITOWOC, WIS.— The East Coast Gobblers Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation stepped up to help less fortunate families in the area by offering warm smiles and hearty meals this past Christmas season.
Through the Turkey Hunters Care program, the East Coast Gobblers Chapter raised funds to provide 1,011 turkeys to families in the area during the two weeks before Christmas. This impressive total made the East Coast Gobblers the #1 contributing local chapter nationwide to the Turkey Hunters Care program for a second consecutive year.
"The Turkey Hunters Care program is an example of NWTF volunteers doing `little things' for people to make them smile during the holidays," said Wally Mielke Jr., East Coast Gobblers chapter president. "With so many people in our area without jobs, generous local donors reached down in their pockets and pulled out hope for their neighbors in need. With the holidays now behind us, we are already collecting donations for next year."
Thanks to approximately 56 donors, consisting of local businesses and private individuals, NWTF volunteers were able to raise over $7,500 to purchase the frozen, domestic turkeys. Volunteers with the chapter distributed turkeys to Peter's Pantry in Manitowoc, Faith Lutheran Church in Valders, Kingdom Come Pantry in Octono Falls, and Bethel Baptist Church in Green Bay.
"The Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays are times for family, but they are also a time when many families are in need," said NWTF CEO George Thornton. "Turkey Hunters Care is a great way for the NWTF's committed volunteers to help these families during some of the most celebrated holidays of the year."
The NWTF is a national nonprofit conservation organization that was founded in 1973 and has worked with wildlife agencies to restore wild turkey populations from 1.3 million wild turkeys to nearly 7 million today. Now, NWTF's volunteers raise funds and work daily to improve critical wildlife habitat, increase access to public hunting land and introduce new people to the outdoors and hunting. Together, the NWTF's partners, sponsors and grassroots members have raised and spent more than $306 million preserving hunting heritage and conserving nearly 14 million acres of wildlife habitat.
For more information about the NWTF's Turkey Hunters Care program, call (800) THE-NWTF or visit www.nwtf.org.
