Turkey Drive exceeds goal!

We are so pleased that the Sue Stultz Turkey drive has once again reached and exceeded it's goal. Well done Greater Moncton.

This article appeared in this morning's edition of the Times Transcript. Thanks for the mention Sue. Glad we could help.


Alison Scott drops a turkey into the trolley as Joel Murray, 11, watches yesterday at the Moncton fire station on St. George Boulevard.


VIKTOR PIVOVAROV/TIMES & TRANSCRIPT
Published Friday December 11th, 2009

Sue Stultz doesn't mind being called the "turkey lady."Whatever helps collect turkeys for families in southeastern New Brunswick to enjoy over the holidays works for her, she says.

But while she doesn't mind the nickname, Stultz refuses to take credit for the drive's success, instead offering that it's the entire community that makes her annual turkey drive successful.

After 12 years, it's one of the most successful charitable campaigns in the region.

This week, Stultz visited Riverview Middle School to speak about hunger, and she says all students raised their hands when asked if they knew who the "turkey lady" was.

Stultz says she was amazed how many of the kids she recognized, youngsters who have been supporting the drive their entire young lives.

"They're the ones that have to carry the torch for us and keep it going, and they're doing a fabulous job," she says.

Today is the final day for the campaign, which is seeking 3,528 turkeys to ensure everyone across southeastern New Brunswick has the perfect Christmas meal. As of last night, the drive had gathered 2,482 turkeys.

There's still a long way to go, but history has proven Metro Moncton residents always come through for Stultz and the drive.

Last year's goal was 3,384, and turkeys were still being donated days after the drive closed, bringing the final total to about 4,300, nearly 1,000 turkeys more than needed.

Yesterday, Stultz wasn't concerned at all that there was still a long way to go to reaching this year's total.

"The people of the Greater Moncton area will come through," she explained. "This turkey drive belongs to the people, and they will ensure that every family is going to have a turkey at Christmastime. They'll make it happen."

Because it's been around for a dozen years, the drive has taken on a life of its own. And while it's easy to simply swing by "Turkey Central" at the Moncton Fire Department's St. George Boulevard station and drop off a turkey, the charitable campaign has turned into a bit of a social event as well.

"It's just like old home week here," Stultz says. "We have people come in and they stand and they talk to each other, and they reminisce about the years that they've had gone by with this turkey drive."

As the week has gone on, Stultz has been moved by the donations and help from both individuals and businesses throughout Metro.

On Wednesday, The Moncton Hospital's food service department dropped off 40 turkeys they bought after saving their tips all year for the drive.

"These are people that work very hard at what they do, and here they are helping out somebody else."

The turkey drive benefits Moncton Headstart, the Salvation Army and all families signed up to any of 23 food banks in southeastern New Brunswick through Food Depot Alimentaire.

"I never like to refer to people that are in need as poor people, because they're not," Stultz says. "Most people that are in need have more gifts to give than you can possibly imagine. They just need a little bit of help from us. They would give to us if we needed. That's the way it goes -- people helping people."

Stultz thanks all supporters of the turkey drive, and she wanted to extend a special thanks to Richard Gould and Stephen Brander of Razor Creative for designing the drive's website, www.suestultzturkeydrive.com

BeckTek Computer Consultants is hosting the website and Red Ball Internet is providing Internet service so turkey drive volunteers can update the drive's Twitter page at twitter.com/suestultz as each day winds on.

For the most up-to-date Turkey Tally, click here.