2000 Turkeys heading into home stretch
Thanksgiving Day is less than a week away, and this holiday season, so many families in our community are struggling to make ends meet.
The 2000 Turkeys drive is in full gear, and with the generous help of folks who are willing to lend a hand to their food-insecure neighbors in Washington County, we can make sure that families who are going through tough times can enjoy a Thanksgiving dinner, too.
2000 Turkeys is partnering with the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank to provide Thanksgiving meals, including turkey, fixings, and dessert, for individuals and families facing hardship.
We’re heading into the home stretch, and there’s still time to donate. On Tuesday, from noon to 1 p.m., tune in to the 2000 Turkeys Telethon. Hosted by Range Resources, the company will match all donations up to $20,000. There will be entertainment, including a performance by Devon Johnson of Ruff Creek, cooking demonstrations, and interviews.
All proceeds from the telethon will benefit the Pittsburgh Food Bank to provide Thanksgiving meals to Washington County’s food-insecure families.
To watch, visit the Range Resources Corp. Facebook page or the 2,000 Turkeys Facebook page. You can call 1-888-2KTURKY to make a donation.
The Pittsburgh Food Bank has seen an increase in the number of requests for food and support services, and anticipates the need to continue to grow, especially as the cost of food, gas, and other items soar, and the COVID-19 pandemic continues.
2000 Turkeys was co-founded nearly 40 years ago by the late Byron Smialek and Wayne Armstrong as a seasonal food event for the unemployed, and has grown into a tradition for local families, schools, businesses, and organizations that open their hearts and their wallets year after year for those who aren’t as fortunate.
2000 Turkeys is thankful not only for the checks, large and small, that donors mail in or drop off, but also for the creative ways families, friends, businesses and co-workers have come up with to raise money to donate to the turkey campaign – including auctions, donation jars, and kick-boxing contests.
For example, earlier this year, Jessica Kearns, who owns Massages by Jess in Washington, started putting out a large donation jar for clients to win a free massage and to donate each month’s collection to a group or organization of their choice. October’s winner, Barb Walz of Washington, chose to donate to 2000 Turkeys. Thank you, both.
We are nearing our goal of raising $100,000, which will not only provide Thanksgiving dinners to those families who need it, but also to provide at least 700 turkeys for the outreach program, Boxes of Love.
If you want to make a donation, please mail a check to 2000 Turkeys, P.O. Box 2000, Washington, Pa., 15301.
Thank you to the following for their generous donations:
Patrick and Deborah Guyton, $30
James and Marlene Webb, $50
John and Theresa Bell, $50
Jean and Richard Cholak, $40
Scott Piasente, $50
James McGill, $100
Mac Discount, $1,400
James and Gail Balent, $25
Edward and Darlene Sheppard, $25
James and Roberta McElhaney, $50
William and Sandra Phillips, $100
James and Carla Henry, $100
Frank Angott Jr., in memory of wife, Janet Angott, $50
Sandra Redd, $25
Bob and Donna Smith, $50
Helen Haines and Gaylord Haines Jr., $100
David and Marlene Kavolak, $50
Dr. Franklin Kuzy and Dr. Karen Sue Kuzy, $100
Donna Jean Stemski, in memory of Harry “Mousey” McKee and Harry “Magoo” McKee, $50
Kenneth and Mary White, $50
John and Mary Ellen West, $25
Marcia and David Bock, in memory of parents, Aaron and Nora Mansfield, $50
Bonnie Hines, $30
Francis Cavalier, in loving memory of my wife, Vivian Cavalier, $200
Robert and Amy Davis, $200
Angelo and Holly Tatano, $50
Alpine Club, $100
Anne Altieri, $50
Shelby and Robert E. Harvey, in memory of James E. White, $25
Jacqueline Scarborough, $100
Anonymous, $100
Barbara Gibbs, in memory of Matt and Mildred Rupcich, $100
Michael Pendleton, $25
George and Michelle Rose, $25
Kenneth Dennis and Kelly Macik, $50
George Toward, $35
Elizabeth Crumrine, $100
Jeff and Linda Paxton, $100
Dave and Carol Davis, $50
Mary and David Standiford, $100
Judith Phillips, $200
Sandra and Thomas Wallace McMurray, $50
Laraine and Ronald McGinnis, $50
Donna Winnett, $50
Janice and Brian Marley, and Lawrence Marley Jr., $40
Robert and Beverly Allridge, $100
Daniel Halulko, $50
Anonymous, $100
Fairhill Manor Christian Church, $50
Robert Dalnoky, $50
Judith and John Caler, $25
Ruth Newman, in memory of James Newman, $50
Clyde Knupp Jr. and Lisa Knupp, $200
Thomas and Lori Lochran, $50
Richard and Melinda Baker, $50
Martha L. Hansotte Family Trust, $10
Patrick and Rosemarie Gasper, $25
Terry and Karen Bennett, $50
William and Donna Oberman, $100
Linda Carrozza and Jennifer Schumacher, $60
Virginia and Paul Lukas, $20
Walter Lekwart, $100
Dolores Bednarski, $50
Dove Contracting Inc., $500
Richard and Patricia Morflak, $50
Staci and James Gasper, $50
Bubble Works Car Wash, $118
Bubble Works Car Wash, $100
Robert and Maudee Parkinson, in memory of Crowbar Johnson, $30
Ernest and Sandra Hampson, $20
April and Eric Betzner, $50
Ted and Peg Allen family, $40
Shepherd’s Finance, $12,000
Henry and Patricia Ann Mavrich, $100
Marilyn Taylor, $20
James and Lynn Smoyer, $30
Gary Wolf, $10
The Beatty family, in loving memory of Howard “Butch” Beatty, $50
Robert and Virginia Somplatsky, $40
Michael and Marie Meeks, in memory of T-Bone, $50
Howard and Marjorie Ashbrook, $30
Elmer and Judy Ealy, $30
Robert and Shirley BonAnno, $100
Roberta Mong, $50
Sandra Lee Thomas, $50
Linda Kappel, $50
Kathleen Sneed, $50
Anonymous, $100
American Legion Riders #639, $100
Nick and Linda Ciappa, in memory of Robert Garrett, $50
Jean Puskar, in honor of Barb Waddington birthday, $20
Dave and Charlotte Resek, in memory of Holden, Resek and Stanton families, $25
W. Nelson McCullough, $25
Cary D. Jones, $25
Bill and Jean Cline, $50
Donna Kotar, $25
David and Carolyn Williams, in memory of Keisling and Williams families, $100
Roy Lounder, in memory of my wife, Linda, $50
Frances Hudak, in loving memory of Irene Sasek and Luanna Chmel, $50
Margaret Fischer, in memory of Canon-McMillan High School friend, Byron Smialek, $25
Jim, JoAnn and Buddy Hockenberry, $100
Robert Fahrner, in memory of John Deco, $50
Massages by Jess and Barb Waltz, $100
Lindsy and Jason Kollar, $400
Grace, Jackson and Piper Kollar, $100
Chapman Corporation, $1,000
Mary Vraninin, in memory of my husband, George, $20
Pat Braddock-Steiner, in memory of mother, Mary Alice Braddock, and brother, Jesse Braddock, $35
George E. Silvers Jr., in memory of my mother, Jean Silvers and my wife, Patty Silvers, $50
Mark, Gaeta and Markie Copeland, $40
Donna, Debbie, and Doug Farabee, $50
Dave and Carol Sumney, in memory of Ed Rizor, $40
Cas Korowicki family, in loving memory of Jessie Korowicki, wife, mother and grandmother, $50
Anonymous, $100
The Havelka and Vallone family, in memory of Tony Vallone, $100
Mary Silbaugh, $25
Lynda Wiatrowski, in memory of Donald Wiatrowski, $50
Andrea and Ken Yarkosky, in memory of baby Danny Yarkosky, $20
Conrad and Gerrie Rossetti, in memory of our daughter, Karen Rossetti, $50
St. Oscar Romero Catholic Men’s Club, $50
Anonymous, $1
David and Shirley Moore, $50
Greater Canonsburg Senior Citizens Center of Washington County, $300
Anonymous, $200
Yolanda Flood, $100
Gino DeFilippis/Canonsburg Sunoco, $1,660
Anonymous, $50
Joseph and Cindy Franc, $100
James and Melissa DeJohn, $25
David and Karen Galentine, $500
Larry and Karen Headley, $50
Charles and John Snyder, $50
Rachel Gladden, $50
Bob and Kathy Abbadini, $50
Victoria and David Cushey, $50
Country Fixin’s Restaurant, $100
Charles and Catherine McCullough, $20
Edward and C Beverly McVeigh, $50
Barbara Provenzano, $50
Rodger and Cathy Young, $50
Jeffrey Young, $50
Richard and Terri Hall, $50
Washington Area Senior Citizens Center Bible Study, $200
Thomas and Rachel Welsh, $100
Harold and Cora Narigon, $50
Lawrence and Maria Hunt, $100
Frank Zatta, $50
Charles and Karen Morris, $40
Charles and Diana Allen, $25
Phyllis Ullom, $50
Pauline Manko, $50
Mary Bier, $50
John and Barbara Aloia, $25
Buffalo Homemakers, $100
Dano and Joan Brownlee, in memory of Bill Shadel, $50
Phil and Sarah Schafer, in loving memory of our great-grandson, Jackson Walsh, and our sister, Carrie Snow, $50
Terrence and Pamela Kushner, $50
Sam and LaVerne Messina, $20
Janet and Anthony Conn, $100
Burch and Rosemarie Efaw, $20
Terry and Tamara Oblock, $30