2000 Turkeys to hold telethon
If you grew up watching Jerry Lewis host the annual Muscular Dystrophy Association Labor Day weekend telethon – remember phone banks, entertainment, and the hourly grand total amount? – then you’ll like this news.
2000 Turkeys, the annual grassroots campaign that helps the Greater Washington County Food Bank provide a Thanksgiving dinner for Washington County families in need, is holding a telethon on Nov. 24.
Range Resources, which traditionally hosts a food drive and takes to the streets to raise money for 2000 Turkeys on the Friday before Thanksgiving, won’t be able to hold its annual fundraiser because of the COVID-19 pandemic, so the company came up with the idea to hold an old-fashioned telethon.
The event will take place from noon to 1 p.m. and can be viewed on the 2000 Turkeys Facebook page. Donations will be accepted from donors who call 888-2K TURKY, where Range employees will be manning the phones.
Range Resources will match all donations.
It will include entertainment, interviews with staff members from the food bank, and other surprises.
“The community has rallied behind the food drive as an opportunity to support their neighbors in need – a need which is even greater this year. Being limited in our ability to have an in-person event, we made a COVID update and transitioned to an online telethon format,” said 2000 Turkeys board member Laural Ziemba, who is director of public affairs at Range.
Donating to 2000 Turkeys has become an annual tradition for individuals, businesses and organizations who generously help their neighbors in need during the Thanksgiving season.
We’re grateful for every single donation – from the $25 contribution from a woman who attached a note that said, “I wish I could do more” (by the way, her donation is more than enough) to the $10,000 contribution from Pennsylvania American Water Co. and the $1,000 donation from Schultz Electric.
On Friday, A.J. Schultz said, “We realize how fortunate and blessed we are to be able to celebrate Thanksgiving together,” noting the company wants to make sure other families can, too.
And Jake Gentile, PAWC Director of Marketing, said Friday that the company realizes that everyone in the county – including PAWC employees – have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and wanted to help.
Connie Burd, executive director of the food bank, said the number of families turning to the organization during the COVID-19 pandemic has increased, and the community’s efforts to take care of their neighbors is appreciated.
The 2000 Turkeys campaign is getting closer to its goal of raising $100,000. To date, contributions have exceeded $68,000.
Thank you, Washington County.
But we still need help. If you’d like to make a donation, please send a check payable to 2000 Turkeys, P.O. Box 2000, Washington, Pa., 15301.
Credit card donations can be made on the Greater Washington County Food Bank website at gwcfb.org. Click on the link to the 2000 Turkeys campaign. Also, visit the 2000 Turkeys Facebook page to get up-to-date information on the current campaign. A link to the Facebook page is also available at WJPA.com.
Thank you to the following for their generous donations:
The Pizzi family, in memory of Mr. and Mrs. Pizzi and Kenneth R. Keirs, $100
Earl and Jane Phillis, $50
Betty Haynes, in memory of husband, Charles A. Haynes, $25
Fran Maceiko, in memory of son Michael, $25
Trinity High School Class of 1972, $100
Anonymous, $50
Anita Marcischak, in memory of Jerry Marcischak, $25
James McDonald and McDonald family, $300
Sam and Laverne Messina, $25
Robert Smith Jr. and Donna Smith, $50
Anonymous, $25
Joan Daley, $50
Mark and Linda Brezinski, $30
John and Anita Stanko, $25
Mary Cessar, $50
George and Carol Kabay, $75
David and Janice Bramer, $50
Richard and Barry Ross, $20
Joseph Crivell and Tammy Caseber, $100
Garvin Putt, $50
Pete Hendricks Jr. and Mildred Hendricks, $50
Harry and Nancy Moore, $50
Daniel and Janice Rowsick, $100
Janice Swart, $20
Paul and Janice Kersnick, $150
Dan and Tammy DeStefano, $200
Janice Potisek, $50
Richard and Cathleen Allinder, $100
Donand Marie Kunselman, $50
Jack and Ethel Gump, $50
Ron and Linda Luisi, $25
Richard and Yvonne Mast, $25
Mary Bier, $50
Pauline Manko, $50
Janelle Yamber, $25
Joseph and Shawn Gisoni, $100
Joann and Norman Nadalin, $50
Mary Ellen Brosick, in memory of Nick Brosick, $25
Louise Gapen, $25
Larry and Ann Kelley, $25
Mary Seghi, $25
Donald and Joyce Foringer, $25
Julia Patterson, $50
Stush and Debbie Carrozza, in loving memory of parents Howdy Naser Sr. and Andrew J. and Anne S. Carrozza, $40
Chrome Federal Credit Union, $100
William and Joyce Koeppelle, in memory of Megan Peacock, $25
William and Joyce Koeppelle, in memory of Darla Koeppelle, $25
Linda Hepburn and Gist Wylie, $25
Joe and Elaine Stopka, $50
Willa Johnson, in memory of Gene, $25
Henry and Fern Miklic, $25
Cindy Brookman, $25
Mary Lee Rizor, in memory of husband, Ed Rizor, $50
Michael and Elizabeth Bradwell, $100
Alex and Janice Nakoneczny, $50
Jim and Carla Henry, $30
Ray and Sue Wilk, $50
James and Nancy Proudfit, $100
Alice and Terry Oblock, $25
James and Judith Wheeler, $100
Susan George, $25
Cynthia and Gerald Livingood, $50
Ray and Dolores Jennings, $100
Robert Chuey Jr. and Kimberly Chuey, $50
John and Linda Fetchen, $30
Theresa Winters, $25
Kathleen Ekaitis, in memory of son Peter Lind Ekaitis USS Guam, and sister Johnetta Antill Shriver, $100
Robert Evans Jr., DDS, $100
Anna Batson, in memory of Arthur Batson, $50
Lawrence and Ann Christine Gardner, $40
From Bubba, Terri and Vern, in memory of Uncle Coote, $25
Carol Stein, in loving memory of husband, George Stein, $50
Holly Lee Hendrix and Thomas Schneider, $1,000
Larry and Tillie Simpson, in memory of Julie Skariot and Robin Wareham, $100
Hunter Rubis, $50
Paul and Cheryl Skiviat, $50
Mary Korsmeyer, $100
Sharon and Glenn Thompson, $50
Paul and Nancy Krepps, $50
Thomas and Monica Rendine, $25
Don Battistone, $50
Robert and Sharon Muntan, $50
Mona and Clyde Wilson, $25
Mary Ann Yurus, in memory of Gil Yurus, $25
Margaret Flynn, $25
Sandra and David Thomas, $35
Kay Norris, in loving memory of Jim, $25
M. Tucker, $25
Paul and Marie Taylor, $25
David and Aryiro Spencer, in memory of Alex Spencer
Michele Foster, $25
Ronald and Carol Bayer, $30
Peter and Amy Cimino, $25
John and Denise Quayle, $200
Robert and Donna Jones, $20
First Baptist Church of Burgettstown, $100
Dave and Joyce Chambers, $100
United Methodist Women, West Washington United Methodist Church, in memory of Mary Ellen Hummell, $50
Anonymous, $50
Anonymous, $100
Klaus and Melvina Behrens, $100
Gerald Lowery, in memory of Debbie Lowery, $100
Robert and Kathleen Devore, $100
Patrick Morgan, $500
Thomas and Linda Seaman, $25
Thomas and Terri Seiler, $50
Frank and Mary Jo Spina, in memory of Jeremy Spina, $100
Washington Lions Club, $500
William and Patricia Brooks, in memory of our parents, $25
Paul and Darlene Clark, $50
Elizabeth DiSalle, in memory of Elaine Embert, $25
David and Donna Holliday, $60
Dennis and Lina Hixson, $40
Anonymous, in memory of loved ones, $25
Patricia Lutes, in memory of Andy Lutes, $50
Michael and Michelle Vereb, $50
William Backner, $15
Francis and Vivian Cavalier, $200
Clara Alvarez and Alicia Suehr, $25
Jeff and Linda Paxton, $100
Jim and Jeanne Stroud, $50
Anonymous, $10
Ray Montgomery and Mary Frederick, $50
Joan Steiminger and Frank Steiminger Jr., $25
George and Linda Pescho, $30
Louise A. Skiviat, $25
Michael and Cheryl Pauchnik, $50
Matthew and Darlene Farabee, $25
Bill and Rose Ann Massengill, $40
Donald and Beverly Zofchak, $25
George and Mary Ann Lucas, $50
Donna Yanosik, in loving memory of husband, Jim Yanosik, $100