2000 Turkeys heading into home stretch
Thanksgiving is just two days away, and families across Washington County will be sitting down to share a Thanksgiving dinner.
2000 Turkeys is working hard to make sure that every Washington County family struggling with food insecurity enjoys a turkey dinner this holiday.
And thanks to the donations that have been pouring in from generous individuals, corporations, and organizations, 2000 Turkeys, in partnership with Food Helpers, Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank and City Mission, is getting closer to its goal of raising $188,000 to provide meals for about 16,000 food-insecure people.
We thank you for every donation, from the $5 tucked into an envelope to the large donations from companies like Pennsylvania American Water, Noble Environmental, Defy Securities, Range Resources, Rhodes Carpet, Shepherd’s Finance, and Washington Financial. Every dollar helps.
And we’re grateful for our longtime donors – 2000 Turkeys, a joint effort of WJPA and the Observer-Reporter established 40 years ago – and new donors.
That includes siblings August and Ada Rose Ralston, now 19 and 16 years old, who first started donating to 2000 Turkeys 14 years ago, when they first arrived at WJPA to drop off a peanut butter jar filled with dollar bills and coins they had collected by setting aside a portion of their birthday money and spare change to help families who are trying to make ends meet.
August, now a student at Washington & Jefferson College, and Ada Rose, a student at Washington High School, turned up last week to drop off their annual donation.
So did Jeffrey Jox, owner and head instructor of Kang’s Black Belt Academy in Canonsburg, who holds an annual kick-a-thon to raise money for the 2000 Turkeys Fund. He was accompanied by this year’s winners, Daniel Bernacki, 7, and Nicholas Bernacki, 6.
Said Alex Sulkowski, president of Noble Environmental, “We’re all local guys, we all grew up around here. We’re happy to participate in a program like this every year.”
Also stopping by WJPA last week to make a donation was Washington County Court of Common Pleas President Judge Gary Gilman, on behalf of the judges.
“At the conclusion of our monthly judges’ meeting in October, Judge (Michael J.) Lucas brought up 2000 Turkeys and said what a wonderful organization it is to raise money, particularly at this time of year, especially for persons who might have some food insecurity, and he said collectively, as leaders of the community, we should be a part of this, and collectively we should make a contribution,” Gilman said.
The judges agreed. They also set up the courthouse Christmas tree early and decorated it with paper turkeys to raise awareness and to encourage other court employees to donate.
Additionally, on Wednesday and Friday, 700 turkey dinners, including a turkey, side dishes, and a game, were distributed as part of the City Mission’s annual Boxes of Love program, said Anne Wightman, Samaritan Care Manager.
“When we first started the program, we were giving out 75 to 100 turkeys a year, but we knew the need was so much greater. Through our relationship with 2000 Turkeys, the Boxes of Love has grown. It’s just such a blessing,” said Wightman. “(Boxes of Love) was a great community event – people helping people, lifting each other up.”
Please send your tax-deductible donation, payable to 2000 Turkeys, to 2000 Turkeys, P.O. Box 2000, Washington, PA, 15301.
Thank you to the following for their generous donations:
Christie Campbell, in memory of Keith A. Campbell, $50
Marian Sanders, in memory of my parents, Mr. and Mrs. Harry F. Sanders, $1,000
Anonymous, $50
Margaret Elaine Frazier, $50
Clyde K. Knupp Jr. and Lisa Knupp, $100
Donna Winnett, $100
Robert and Marie Ewing, $50
Kathleet Voigt, in memory of Julia Patterson, $50
Patricia Patterson, $25
William Boydston, $50
Lee A. Kunkle and Patricia Kunkle, $50
Gary Sladick, $50
Kenneth and Catherine Shingle, $50
Donna, Debbie and Doug Farabee, $30
Dave, Roseanne and Justin Nichols, in memory of Paul (Cookie) Koceski, $30
Austin and Ada Rose Ralston, $158.30
Mark and Caroline Hall, $50
Phyllis and Paul Bednar, $50
Saundra Edmond, in loving memory of my son, Christopher, and granddaughter, Tearney, $100
Peggy Lou Hays, $50
Terrence and Pamela Kushner, $50
James and Gail Balent, $50
Keith Allan Neal, $10
Elizabeth and Michael DiSalle, $50
Sally Reedy, $25
Mary Ellen Brosick, in memory of Nick, $30
Paul A. Spilak III and Beth Anne Spilak, $25
Elmer and Judy Ealy, $25
Phyllis and William Reynolds, in memory of Mervin and Betty Reynolds, $25
Phyllis and William Reynolds, in memory of Angelo and Esther Porco, $25
Rudolph and Denise Yurkovich, $25
Margaret McCreery and Elmer McCoy, $40
Kristen and Scott Weiss, $100
Kenneth White Sr. and Mary L. White, $50
Jonas C. and Bernadette Paskevicius, $100
Anonymous, $40
David and Mary Beth Baker, $50
Sandra Shekerko, in memory of my husband, Tom, $50
Douglas and Pamela Caldwell, $50
Mark and Sandra Bonanni, $25
The Youngs (Roger, Cathay and Jeffrey), $300
David and Aryiro Spencer, $50
Anthony and Jan Conn, $100
Kenneth and Lynn Randolph, $50
Teresa Findlay, $100
James and Rebecca Jackson, $100
Washington County Court of Common Pleas judges, $1,700
Lower Ten Mile Presbyterian Church, $250
Audia Group LLC, $500
Joyce Holland, in loving memory of my husband, Jack Holland, $25
Union Valley UM Church, $500
Robert and Orpha Orbash, $50
Mary and David Standiford, $100
Judith Caler and John Caler Jr., $25
Jarol DeVoge, $100
Thomas and Terri Seiler, $50
Robert and Kathleen DeVore, $100
Carol Stein, in loving memory of my husband, George Stein, $50
Diane and George Devore, $50
United Mine Workers of America Local 1197, $100
George Augustine Jr. and Deborah L. Augustine, $50
Gary and Amy Bostich, in memory of Sandy Cindrich, $100
Dana L. Stainbrook, $50
First Baptist Church of Burgettstown, $100
Catherine Dhanse, $25
Richard and Cathleen Allinder, $100
Roy and Judy Schulte, in memory of son-in-law Scott Lash, $100
Daniel Morra, $200
Ladonna Zupancic, $25
Robert and Virginia Somplatsky, $50
Michael Massino, $20
Mary Lou Roscoe, in memory of my husband, Ed Roscoe, $50
In memory of Joe and Jackie Jarosz and John and Bertie Brower, from their family, $50
George and Michele Rose, $25
Richard and Patricia Morflak, $100
William and Deborah Murdock, $100
The Beatty family, in loving memory of Howard “Butch” Beatty, $50
Sandra Phillips, in memory of Denny Phillips, $100
Martin Beichner Jr. and Judy Beichner, $200
Alvin and Mary Lou Briggs, $50
Pater and Amy Cimino, $25
Kathy Arlia, $10
Susan and Stanley Michalski, in memory of Karen, $30
Joann Kulesa, $25
Mary Bier, $50
Mark F. Geary, attorney at law, $25
Turturice & Associates LLC, $150
George E. Silvers Jr., in memory of my wife, Patricia, and my mother, Jean Silvers, $50
Mary Coleman, $35
Anonymous, in memory of Ron Parry, $100
Anonymous, $200
SMS group, $450
Ronald and Bobbi Horn, $50
Elizabeth Crumrine, $100
Edward and Debra Braddock, $50
Steven and Susan Wolf, $500
Debbie Cox, in loving memory of Wynona Irwin, $50
Catholic Daughters of the Americas Court Washington No. 1651, $200
Jim Donaldson, in memory of Ruth Ann Donaldson, $50
Cindy Pastovich, in memory of Gordon and Katherine Pastovich, $25
Andrea Pitcock, in memory of Bob Pitcock, $25
Rich and Terri Hall, $50
Anonymous, $200
William and Susan Peffer, $25
East Buffalo Presbyterian Church, $250
Andrea Raymer, in memory of Dennis D. Raymer, $50
Dove Contracting, $1,000
Janet and Michael Brach, in loving memory of Anthoony Brach, $20
Lee and Richard Debusk, $20
Jeaneen C. Ritchey-Thieroff, $20
Mark and Linda Brezinski, $50
Sunset Lodge No. 237 F&AM, $500
27th Judicial District of Pa., Washington County Judges $1,700
Margaret McCreery and Elmer MCoy, $40
Liberty Lumber, $3,000
Tom J. Brown, $1
Chris and Lena Potts, $50
Jamie Michalka, $100
Anonymous, $20
Anonymous, $20
Anonymous, $20
Michael and Carla Mast, in loving memory of Danny Bigler, $50
Evan P. Shoop, $50
Deborah and Paul Shoop, $50
David and Roberts Greenawalt, $50
Edward and Beverly McVeigh, $50
Susan Budavich, $50
Edward Shook, $25
Larry and Karen Headley, $50
Carl Zellie Jr., in memory Margaret “Peg” Conaway, $100
Robert W. Anderson, $35
Duncan M. Nickels, $100
George E. Toward, $50
Loretta Stanek, $20
Gloria Suzanne Kline, in memory of Eric Kline, $50
Cary D. Jones, $50
John Hart, $50
William Douglas Canan, $25
Pamela Siegel, $500
Faith United Presbyterian Church, $1,000
K, C and D Wheels of Adventure, $100
Michael and Margaret Klauer, $20
Mary C. Cessar, $50
William and Donna Oberman, $100
Nancy Britt, $20
Anonymous, $10
Gerald Brna, $20
Lagonda Homemakers, $50
Anita S. Prince, $50
Mark and Ellen Bachmann, $300
David Fisher, $50
New Hope Church ECO Evangelical Presbyterians, $125
Patrick and Deborah Guyton, $50
Hele Haines, $100
Daniel F. Thomas, $100
Darlene and Steve Riker, $25
Barbara Aloia, $25
Robert and Beverly Allridge, $100
Debra Wilkes, $30
Casimier Korowicki, in memory of Jessie Korowicki, $30
Joseph Gisoni, $100
Kenneth and Linda Flood, $50
Carolyn Holmes, in honor of parents, the Rev. and Mrs. Gene Boyd, $25
Robert W. Smith Jr. and Donna Smith, $75
Joyce Spridik, $100
Washington Elks Lodge #0776, $500
Nick Stopperich DeRosa, $100
Kang’s Black Belt Academy, $1,600
Michael S. Siegel, $1,000
WJPA Broadcasting Co., $1,000
Burke Racing Stable LLC, $1,000
Anonymous, $50
Paul and Carol Love, in memory of Byron Smialek, $50
Range Resources Market Department, in memory of Kathy Borrelli, $425