Students collect thousands of turkeys, dollars for charity

Last Update: 11/20/2009 6:13 pm

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WICHITA, Kansas – Thanksgiving is still a week away, but Friday around Wichita there was another kind of turkey talk as the 19^th annual United Methodist Open Door Ministries Turkey Drive kicked off.

USD 259 students and staff worked with assembly line-like efficiency as they gathered mounds of turkeys.

Elementary, middle and high schools from across the district competed with one another. Southeast High School students gathered 565 birds.

“All the kids, Eric Felipe, assistant principal, really helped coordinate it, motivated all the kids,” said Leroy Parks, principal of Southeast High School. “We've been gobbling on the intercom all week and this is the result.”

As the morning progressed, the number kept going up. The mounds of turkeys turned into avalanches. The goal was to collect 1,500 birds, but that was easily surpassed. The total tally was 3,800.

"It's just an incredible outpouring from our students in particular,” said USD 259 Superintendent John Allison. ”They took this project on. They started months ago with different fundraisers and activities at the school to be able to do this today."

The students also collected cash for the needy, totaling $11,200.

"It is heartening,” said Scott Nicholson with Untied Methodist Open Door Ministries. “I was standing there taking a check for $2,200 from Northwest High School -- and the students handed me a check. It was all I could do to keep from crying in the middle of it."

Organizers say this year’s collection of turkeys is the most ever in the 19 years the event has been held.

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