Turkey Hunters Care Program Wild Turkey Chapter Donates for Fuller Thanksgiving Tables Jessica Giard/Sun
Pictured:Rani and Hunter Eimers help load bags of frozen turkeys to be donated to twenty area families on Friday, Nov. 20. Locally, the Turkey Hunters Care program is supported through the Missouri River Gobblers chapter, Chamberlain Food Center and Eagle Sales Distributing.
Twenty area families will have a brighter Thanksgiving thanks to the Missouri River Gobblers, the local chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation. This is the first year the local chapter has donated turkeys to deserving families in the Chamberlain, Pukwana and Kimball area. With support from Chamberlain Food Center and matching funds from Eagle Sales Distributing, chapter chair Ryan Van Genderen spearheaded the local effort through the NWTF’s Turkey Hunters Care program.
“We’re a small chapter, so it’s a nice way for us to give back,” said Van Genderen.
The Missouri River Gobblers, formed in 2005, lists about 40 members - most who are in Brule County with some in Sioux Falls and Mitchell.
Last year, the Turkey Hunters Care program donated 19,100 turkeys for Thanksgiving tables throughout the United States. Since the program’s birth in 2001, the program has donated 90,800.
Van Genderen noted that the NWTF and the local chapter do more than work to conserve wild turkeys.
“We strive on helping the men, women, young and old and anyone we can touch,” he wrote in an email to the Sun. “We provide many different events for many different reasons and are in the process of developing some of these events in the Chamberlain area.”
He said the local chapter is working to support the Wheelin’ Sportsmen program, which helps those with disabilities enjoy hunting and other outdoor activities.
The Missouri Rivers Gobblers sponsor a fundraising banquet each year. A 2010 banquet is planned for July.
