Hundreds of people in Cranbrook had access to a turkey dinner this Christmas thanks to the Cranbrook and District Chamber of Commerce’s Turkey Drive.

The annual drive, started and still organized by Jason Wheeldon and Warren Bedell, narrowly missed matching and surpassing their target, the record from 2012 – $28,000 – but still gathered $27,635.

Of that total, $13,000 was brought in by seven ‘celebrity pledgers’ or “junior turkeys” as Wheeldon dubbed them. The leading pledge gatherer was Nella Rounsville who brought in more than $7,200, earning the “official chief turkey platter.”

The gist of the event is pledgers seek $20 donations from individuals and businesses in the city and area. The funds are then distributed to the Cranbrook Food Bank and Salvation Army.

“We are truly lucky that we live in such a generous community. It was heart-warming” to watch people respond with such generosity, Wheeldon said.

“It goes without saying that this makes our Christmas; it goes without saying that through your involvement in this you are building a great community,” said Captain Kirk Green of the Salvation Army. “You are not only building community but you are building character,” he told a packed Heritage Inn conference hall Dec. 11 during the Cranbrook and District Chamber of Commerce’s Christmas luncheon.

“This fund will go along way to ensure that everyone in our community will be ensured a festive Christmas dinner. We were only 13 turkeys short of beating last year’s record, but phenomenal support from a very generous community. The committee and the chamber would like to thank all those who helped including our celebrity pledgers, and all the business, organizations and kind hearted citizens who pledged to this great local cause,” organizers noted on the event’s Facebook page.

“Cranbrook is truly a great community, always rising above for those in need. We cannot extend enough appreciation to all those who so generously supported.”

Ian Cobb/e-KNOW & Photo courtesy Janice Sommerfeld/SNAPd

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