Nov 15, 2014 10 min read

There are ten days left until Thanksgiving, and if you’ve bought your bird, or cans of pumpkin to make pumpkin pie, your stuffing mix or cranberries – or if you plan to head to the grocery store sometime soon to buy your supplies – then please consider doing this: drop a check in the mail to 2000 Turkeys, to help make sure your neighbors in Washington County who find themselves down on their luck also enjoy a Thanksgiving meal.

At Thanksgiving, most of us take time to reflect on the many blessings in our lives: our families, our homes and our jobs, among them.

But there are at least 5,400 families in Washington County who don’t have jobs, or whose jobs don’t pay enough so they work two or three jobs, and whenever they think about the fact less than two weeks remain before Thanksgiving, they get stressed.

Because they’re not worried about cooking the turkey or choosing a stuffing, they’re worried they might not have a turkey.

Hundreds of businesses, organizations and individuals in Washington County hanswered the call, donating $71,617 to the 2000 Turkeys campaign, which provides Thanksgiving turkeys and fixings for unemployed and underemployed families.

We thank you for that. We’re grateful for the $1,000 checks donated by local companies and organizations like BPOE Washington Elks Lodge 776 and Burke Racing Stables, and the $10 bills paper-clipped to post-it notes and donated in memory of a loved one.

But we still need your help. 2000 Turkeys is a little more than $28,000 short of its $100,000 goal.

Every $15 donation provides a Thanksgiving dinner for a family of four.

For the next week, Range Resources is matching donations, up to $20,000. So your $15 donation is really worth $30.

Turkey placards are for sale at the Canonsburg and Washington Shop ‘n Save stores, and donation jars are set up at Sam’s Pizza in Canonsburg and Imperial Cleaners in Washington.

Every dollar raised through 2000 Turkeys goes toward making sure our neighbors can sit down with their families and celebrate Thanksgiving. Again, we thank you, and so do they.

Please make checks payable to 2000 Turkeys, P.O. Box 2000, Washington, PA 15301.

Thank you to the following, who generously donated to the campaign:

Pulaski Club $100

The Meadows $10,000

Michael & Phyllis Pirnik $25

Washington County AG Fair, Inc. $188

Liberty Lumber $2,000

Lagonda Homemakers $50

Russell & Deborah Kight $100

Rosemary Curran $25

Sons of the American Legion $100

Charles & Beth Ann Moyar $50

Private James Perry VFW Post 191 $500

Anonymous $200

In Memory of Bernard W Smith Sr. by Carol & Bernie Jr. $25

Clyde Wilkinson $30

Barbara Schumacher $100

In Loving Memory of my husband, Terry Zaken from wife Marlane Zaken $30

Frank & Rose Marie Coppola $25

In Memory of Dorothy Emerick from John & Gail Mathias $25

Terry & Tamara Oblock $25

Rev. Giard & Alice Sayre $50

Richard & Beverly Campbell $50

Cindy Brookman $25

Joyce & Bill Ursic, Jr. $100

Susan & James Jaap $20

In Memory of Dan Higgins from Doris & Bill Lutz $50

In Memory of Ryan Phillips from Elaine Chadwick $20

Rose Morgan $30

Ray & Dolores Jennings $75

Mildred Carter $50

Skip & Linda Disibio $30

Patricia Brletic $50

Linda Hepburn & Gist Wylie $30

Isimingers Pennzoil $50

Isimingers Automotive Service Ctr. $50

Ed & Nancy Cononge $50

Elaine & Joseph Stopka $50

Donald R Sherge & Christine P Sherge $25

Richard & Kathleen Setto $30

Francis & Toni King $25

William & Susan Morgan $50

Barry & Sue Beels $50

Don & Nancy Grandon $50

Richard & Sonia Blaha $50

Joyce & Jack Holland $25

Michael & Lynn Ann Bedillion $25

Suzanne McCord $25

Ruth Fullerton $20

In Memory of Jim Matrogran from wife, Connie $25

Natalie & Carlie Oros $25

James & Judith Femia $25

Joseph & Joyce Balzama $25

Emily Shade $25

In Memory of James & Flossie Strope plus Carson & Ida Stewart by Merle & Opal Strope $25

Janet Donovan $10

Carol & George Kabay $50

In Loving Memory of Husband & Father Daniel Passo from Conniejo Passo, & Briana & Maggie Bedillion $25

Bill & Roseann Massengill $30

Donna Henderson $30

Pauline Manko $25

Thomas & Patricia Manko $30

David & Darlene Stotka $100

Michael Poness $25

Harold & Cora Narigon $50

Robert Thornton $25

Charles Mellars $25

In Memory of my Dad, William Quinn from Roman Quinn $25

Andrew Vore $50

Larry & Mary Smith $50

In Loving Memory of our Parents Howdy Naser, Sr. & Andrew J and Anne S Carrozza by Stush & Debbie Carrozza & Family $30

Doug & Patty Fraley In Memory of Shirley Reynard $20

In Loving Memory of my husband Lewis Radomile Jr. from Jeannie Radomile $50

Linda Hainer $15

John & Virginia Ullom $25

Richard Stephens $20

In Memory of Elsie Rearick from Brenda Rearick $25

In Memory of my husband Mike Byrne,plus Jean Byrne & Bob Byrne from Julie Byrne $25

In Memory of Jeremy Spina from Frank & Mary Jo Spina $100

Washington Lions Club $500

Michael & Andrea Harris $10

Joann & Norman Nadalin $100

Terri & Thomas Seiler $50

Earl & Jane Phillis $30

Deborah & Edward Boesenberg $50

Ronald & Marjorie King $100

In Memory of Joseph Powers from the Powers family $75

Avery United Methodist Church $25

Dana Stainbrook $25

In Memory of Elana Segen $25

Emilie Poplarchik $20

Sally Pallesco $20

Midway Center U.P. Church $250

Charles & Joyce McCrerey $25

Judith & David Davis $20

In Honor of Ken & Nancy Frock $25

In Memory of Harold A. Koehler from the Koehler’s $25

Ronald & Donna Ogrodowski $25

Julia Patterson $25

In Memory of my loving wife, Dorothy Samila from Steve Samila $25

In Memory of Byron Smialek from Paul & Carol Love $25

Ron & Sherri Van Horne $50

Norman & Donna Dinardo $25

Marianne & Albert Sopko $25

Linda & Mark Brezinski $25

Bonnie McClure $25

Phoenix Welding of PA Inc. $500

Adrienne Guelker & Richard Dotts $20

Rebecca Michalka $50

Frank & Karen Zrimm $30

First Baptist Church of Burgettstown, PA $100

Frank & Jan Hixenbaugh $30

Karen & Bob Thompson $25

In Memory of Margaret J. Mohr from Richard Mohr $40

Joyce & Mark Knestrick $30

George Reynolds $50

Madeline & John Chopp $25

Patrick & Linda Donahue $50

Rita & Joseph Bongiorni $50

Phyllis Ullom $50

Kenneth Carter $40

Clyde & Joyce Hood $50

Charles Profio $25

Nakyra & Taysean Paith $20

In Loving Memory of Ulysses, Ronald & Gayle Yarbor from the Yarbor family $25

Nancy Polen $20

In Memory of Elva Mera from Frances & W.M. Hudak $30

Bill & Carol Boardley $50

Anonymous $370

William & Susan Peffer $25

The Copeland Family, Mark, Gaeta & Markie $20

Louise & Helen Skiviat $25

William Calhoun $50

Lesa Guley $50

Joseph Deluca $25

Charles & Roma Grose $25

Deborah & William Murdock $50

Frank & Karen Gasper $30

Daniel & Audrey Ligato $40

Anne & Gary Waters $25

Burke Racing Stable LLC $1000

Shirley Steele $25

Jim & Sue O’Bryon $50

Caroline, Mark & Melissa Hall $35

John & Mary Beth Morton $100

In Remembrance of Byron Smialek from Thomas & Rena Stanko $100

Agnes Belfiore $15

In Memory of James E White from Robert & Shelby Harvey $25

Dorothy & Perry Pinto $25

Trinity Area Retired “Angels” $50

Michael & Heidi Neville $25

In Honor of my Uncle Byron Smialek from Deborah L Lowery $100

Thomas & Rebecca Wild $100

Betty & William Osburn $25

Richard & Patricia Morflak $50

In Memory of Helen DeJohn from John & Krista DeJohn $30

Joan Rogers $25

Linda Carrozza & Family $60

Kathleen Voigt $50

Mark F Geary, Attorney $25

Lois Gazvoda $20

In Loving Memory of Lyda Westfall & Elizabeth Miller from Harold & Phyllis Westfall $30

Janet Bof $20

In Memory of William Ursic Sr. from William B Ursic $100

Heidi Pankopf $50

Laverne & Eldon Ealy $20

Laura & Victor Perri $25

In Memory of Byron Smialek from Gerald Lowery $100

Kevin & Susan Gross $25

Patricia McKean $30

Richard & Barbara Ginther $100

The Group’s $50

Sandra & William Shadel $25

Terry & Ronda Puskarich $50

Bill & Betty Braun $25

Charles & Victoria Knox $25

David & Deborah Humphreys $25

James & Rebecca Jackson $25

In Memory of Earl Miller by Mary Miller $25

Dave, Roseanne & Justin Nichols $25

In Memory of Harry & Kay Shumaker from Luz & Kathy Armenini $25

Dr. Michael Crabtree $100

Carol Coffield $30

David Bramer $50

In Memory of friend-Joyce K. from Joann Kulesa $40

United Mine Workers of America Local 1197 $200

I.C. Ladies of Charity $75

Cindy Interval $25

Margaret Alderson $25

Stephen & Katharine Stayduhar $50

Paul & Nancy Krepps $50

Gerald & Roberta Walker $25

John & Patricia Kozon $20

Joanne Duntz $20

Judith Buckingham $100

Jamie & John Michalka $30

In Memory of husband Richard Hufford from Lila Hufford $20

In Loving Memory of Phyliss Fowler, Joyce Pushey Fowler, & Michael Sparks by Bob Fowler & Family & In Loving Memory of Rob Jaquay by Tina Jaquay $200

Thomas & Michelle Day $100

Cathleen & Richard Allinder $40

Allan Junker $100

Dorothy Dillemuth $100

George Haddad $150

Walter Maslik $25

Robert & Kandice Veres $25

In Memory of Flora Kunkle from Darryl Bourguignon $50

In Memory of Karen Rossetti from Gerrie & Conrad Rossetti $35

Patricia Brewer $25

Edgar & Dolores Cheverine $25

Larry & Ann Kelley $25

Linda Hinerman $20

Clarence & Marian Edgar $25

Adela & Donald Fisher $20

Shirley & John Marcucci $20

Glen & Sally Martin $50

Scott Piasente $75

John & Lauretta Darby $50

Debra Wilkes $20

In Memory of Paul Barnes from Patty Barnes $50

Larry & Nancy Regrut $25

National Slovak Society Assembly 588 of Avella $100

Lori & Gregory Kern $25

In Memory of Dave D’Orazio from Amy & Gary Bostich $50

Joann & Janice Brownlee $50

Robert & Violet Azman $30

George & Deborah Augustine $40

In Memory of Frances A Cushma by Husband Tom & Family $20

Bertha & Louis Kovacicek $40

Frank & Janet Angott $30

William & Tracy Graziani $200

Bentleyville Tops 1681 $25

In Memory of my husband Jim from Vera Fordyce $100

In Memory of Tommy Arena from Cathy & Johnny Hoy $50

In Memory of Curtis Clemens & George R Wyland from Gene & Nancy Clemens $25

David & Mary Standiford $100

In Memory of Paul by Penny Miller $50

Jack & Vivian Bauer $25

Amy & Jay West $50

Larry & Karen Headley $50

John & Amy Taggart $100

Rebecca McAdoo $25

Barbara Noble $20

John Greene $25

Kimberly Paletta & Larry Sibert $25

Louise Mosier $25

William & Deleta McElhany $30

David & Mary Beth Baker $25

Josephine Stotka $20

Harry & Nancy Moore $25

In Memory of Byron Smialek $50

Richard, Mark & Jason Pisarcik $25

Margaret Rankin $25

Linda Hill $25

Kenneth & Susan Boone $50

Roy & Judy Schulte -In Memory of son-in-law Scott Lash $50

Betty Smith $50

Virginia & Paul Lukas $20

H.Edward & Ruth Vero $50

John & Mary Zavislak $30

Grace Ulery $20

Roger & Peggy Dankowsky $20

Charles & Bonnie Hines $30

Sharon Crouser $25

Patrick & Debra Pitzarella $25

Dorothy Scarsella $25

Phil & Jennie Hamilton $100

Doug & Ann Hewitt $25

Michael Yopek & Mary Colombo $25

Bob & Martha Williams $25

In Memory of my husband Jim Osborn from Sherry Osborn $30

Upper Ten Mile Presbyterian Church $1000

Steven & Susan Wolf $250

Kenneth & Sharon Opal $100

William Backner $15

In memory of William Arthur Phillips from Dianne Jenkins $50

Donald & Joan Zielinski $25

Sandra & Ronald Stone $50

Barrett & Sara Greenlee $100

Patricia Mancuso $15

Joyce & James Eustis $25

In Memory of Lynn and Dan Habe from Ronald & Peggy Conklin $100

Daniel & Cassandra Basso $25

John Nicholas $15

Anonymous $100