River Valley Longbeards, the Clermont County chapter of the National Wildlife Turkey Federation (NWTF), donated 50 frozen turkeys to the Clermont YWCA food pantry, the YWCA House of Peace, and the Christian Help Center Nov. 17.

This is the second year that the River Valley Longbeards have participated in the NWTF’s Turkey Hunters Care Program.

“The program was designed by the NWTF national headquarters four of five years ago,” said River Valley Longbeards president Dave Williamson. “It is an opportunity for the local chapters to provide help to needy families who are less fortunate to at the very least have a turkey on the table at Thanksgiving dinner.”

The NWTF, a not-for-profit organization with 545,000 national members, has local chapters in all 50 states, Canada, Mexico, and 14 other countries. Founded in 1973, the NWTF supports wildlife management on public, private, and corporate lands. It also supports wild turkey hunting as a traditional American sport.

Since 1985, the NWTF has spent more than $230 million upholding that hunting tradition while simultaneously conserving more than 11.3 million acres of wildlife habitat, Williamson said.

“Feeding families in need is one of the best ways to give back to the community,” NWTF Vice-President of Sales and Marketing Dick Rosenlieb said. “Local chapters and their volunteers have realized the importance of the Turkey Hunters Care Program and are continuing to expand it every year.”

In 2005, The River Valley Longbeards were one of the 2,250 local chapters in the nation that donated 12,011 turkeys to needy families; an estimated 38,714 turkeys have been donated nationwide since the program’s inception in 2001.

Williamson said that the Longbeards team up with church ministries, food pantries, children’s organizations, homeless shelters, National Guard units, and other civic organizations to donate turkeys.

River Valley Longbeards purchase the turkeys with money that is raised at many fund-raising events and shows throughout the year. This year the turkeys were purchased at wholesale cost from the Owensville IGA.

“No Thanksgiving dinner is complete without a turkey,” said IGA manager Denny Brown. “It was certainly our pleasure to help the NWTF local chapter in their efforts to provide local families in need with a turkey this holiday. They are doing something very special and should be commended.”

Lynn Stranz, the Batavia YWCA’s Emergency Assistance Program Director, agrees.

“The River Valley Longbeards and the NWTF embody the spirit of giving that defines the Thanksgiving holiday,” she said. “The turkeys that we have received from them will mean that needy families in the area will be able to have a traditional Thanksgiving meal. Perhaps more importantly, they will realize that our community cares about them and has not forgotten them at this special time of the year.”