Nov 5, 2014 5 min read

Mother Teresa once said, “If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one.”

The 2000 Turkeys campaign is aiming to feed more than 5,400 families.

With less than four weeks to go until Thanksgiving, local residents, businesses and organizations generously stepped up to donate $37,737 to the 2000 Turkeys fund, which provides Thanksgiving dinners to Washington County families in need.

The 2000 Turkeys campaign is working steadily toward its goal of $100,000, thanks to the county’s grassroots effort.

The Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 191 of Canonsburg donated $500, and 16-year-old Mackenzie Wagner of Eighty Four continued her tradition of donating a portion of the sale of her livestock at the Washington County Fair to the turkey campaign, contributing $188.

“We’re happy to help because it’s a good cause,” said Charles Moyar of the VFW. “There might be some veterans out there who are down on their luck.”

Washington councilman Ken Westcott donated $200 after WJPA radio host Pete Povich played a Meat Loaf song requested by Westcott.

And Sean Sullivan, vice president and general manager of the the Meadows Racetrack and Casino, which donated to 2000 Turkeys since the fund began more than 30 years ago, presented a check for $10,000 from the casino and its employees.

Each dollar counts: Every $15 donation provides a Thanksgiving dinner with a turkey and all of the trimmings for family of four.

It is the largest single fundraiser on behalf of the Greater Washington County Food Bank and its neighboring pantries.

The food bank established qualification guidelines for families who receive the Thanksgiving dinners.

To donate, please make checks payable to 2000 Turkeys and mail to 2000 Turkeys, P.O. Box 2000, Washington, PA, 15301.

Thank you to the following who donated to the 2000 Turkeys campaign:

Ronald Paul Matteson $50

David & Janet Mazon $100

In Memory of Brenda Finnegan $25

Ron & Vicki Dzikowski $25

Gysegem Family $100

Maggie & Vic Zuraw $100

Klaus & Melvina Behrens $100

Joy Gensler $20

Randy & Sandra Hewitt $25

In Memory of Ron Rubis from Deborah Rubis $20

Rose Marie Kobrys $25

Phyllis & Ted Dutton $25

Donald & Marguerite Stark $50

Charlotte Evans $50

Peter & Denise Coppola $50

David & Geraldine Demotte $25

In Memory of Ed Black from Dora Black $30

Gerald & Denise Segelstrom $90

Melinda & Richard Baker $50

Bob & Dani Iams $25

In Memory of Ralph Pinkney Jr. from Ralph & Janice Pinkney $25

Alice Oblock $25

Martin & Judy Beichner $100

Paul & Christine McNeely $20

In Loving Memory of my wife Joy Lynn Bombash from Andrew Bombash $30

Patricia Soulakis $20

Robert & Velma Hollick $50

Lower Ten Mile Presbyterian Church $200

Edward & C. Beverly McVeigh $20

Raymond Mathieu $25

Patricia Wishnok $25

Helen Abel $20

Donna & Robert Jones $20

Nancy & Gerard Weiss $100

Ellen & Robert DeBlasio $50

Ed & Mary Lee Rizor in Memory of our “brother”, Chuck $30

Lloyd & Barbara Dearolph $30

Bertha Stimmell Circle West Washington United Methodist Church $25

Paul & Sandra Harton $25

Bill & Maureen Premro $15

Dave & Rebecca Ramsey $200

Robert & Rebecca Waters $25

Mike & Pat Ferrari $25

James & Debra Horvath $50

Debra Rea $50

Morris & Patricia Harvey $50

Edna Sawchuck $25

Erma McCullough $25

Frank & Kathy Morris $20

Walter Lekwart $50

Thomas & Mary Ellen Hummell $75

John & Carole Pankas $75

Dennis & Linda Sarchet $25

Thomas & Deborah Martin $50

George & Linda Pescho $25

Maxine Wilson $25

Betty & Charles Haynes $30

Richard & Nardis Hardie $50

Roberta Mong $20

In Memory of Jim Yanosik from Donna Yanosik $50

In Memory of Beth Tustin from Don Tustin $25

John J Stanko $20

In Memory of Donald and Lorna Tustin, Betty and Ann Cowden from Don Tustin $25

Ron & Teresa Koehler $25

Kenneth & Catherine Shingle $30

Carolyn & Joseph Rendziak $25

Agnes Belcher $25

William & Jessie Macik $50

Patricia & Robert Crall $25

Marsha & Donald Fazekas $30

Helen & Nick Samila $25

Kenneth & Mary Louise Briggs $50

Thomas & Jean Wilt $25

In Memory of our sons Joey & Gregg from Nina & Joseph Tustin $50

Dick & Margaret White $100

Lynford R. & Cathleen M. Lynch $50

In Memory of Anthony & Emily Cwiklinski, Charles & Stella Dombrowski from E. Darlene Cwiklinski $30

Sandra Todaro $20

Larry & Barb Stultz $50

Don & Marie Kunselman $25

Beatty Storage $50

Jack & Kathy Egers $30

Linn & Becky Brookman $25

Bentworth Education Association $250

From George Coleman Jr. in honor of Mrs. Peg Wilson $45

Linda & Paul Sroka $25

In Memory of our Dad and Uncle Cliff Smigiel, love Jesse & Jeremy, Chad & Somer $10

Paul & Cheryl Skiviat $50

Carol King Linton $30

Keystone Progressive Association $150

The Wong Family $40

Thelma Strosser $50

Eric Held $30

Frank & Darlene Tragone $20

In memory of Don Trautman by wife Lil $50

Ed & Gena Roman $150

Sally & Walter Dovshek $25

Mary Lou Campbell $20

Von & Lynn Lacock $30

Ray & Sue Wilk $50

Lou Ann Nestor $25

Vanessa & James Beatty $15

Dominick & Donna Trimarki $50

Sandra & Earl Redd $30

Theresa Shape $25

Donald & Rose Tournay $30

Selma Tansey $100

Daniel & Katherine Bayer $25

Cindy & William Kottner $100

Linda & Charles Kacvinsky $50

In Memory of Jackie Jarosz from her family $30

David & Joyce Chambers $50

Diana & Charles Allen $25

Kal Flaskos $25

Harry & Marry Haas $25

In memory of David Scarborough from Jackye & family $100

Thelma & Mark Zadach $25

Edward & Carol Imperatore $25

Bill & Cookie Kazakewicz $30

Allan & Nancy Brooks $30

Vernice & Robert Phillips $30

Washington Rotary Club $500

Sheila Carter $25

Adolph Schilinski $25

Mike & Doris Sorice $25

Ola & William Jackson $20

Sylvia & Nelson McCullough $20

Roy A & Marie A Larimer $25

In memory of Wayne Casciola by his family $50

Alycia Ghrist $25

In loving memory of Anthony F. Brach from Janet W. Brach $25

Adam & Skeeter $25

Helen Kinder $15

Anonymous $290