Hundreds of turkeys donated to Springfield families in need

Two organizations organized turkey giveaways on Monday to make sure Clark County families could have a happier Thanksgiving.

Charles Casey and Donald Casey passed out about 250 Thanksgiving turkeys at Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Springfield, the ninth year in a row they have hosted the giveaway. The event has grown each year, they said, and it serves as a way to help local families and spread the brothers’ Christian message.

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“God has really blessed us and we want to be a blessing for people as well,” Donald Casey said.

Residents who received the turkeys have to sign up but they have no other requirements for the assistance, Charley Casey said.

They started the event several years ago and it’s grown from 100 turkeys the first year to 250 now, Charles Casey said. The brothers buy the turkeys themselves but Charles Casey said they will likely look for assistance and donations if the event continues to grow.

“We’ll continue to do this and we’re looking to expand it as long as God will allow,” Charles Casey said.

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For residents like Krystin Robinson, any assistance this time of year helps. She said her family has 16 people under a single roof so a turkey is one less thing her family has to worry about this year.

“It’s like Thanksgiving dinner in our house every night,” Robinson joked.

Fulton Elementary School also hosted its Great Turkey Giveaway. Principal Sherry Cross said community and staff members donated 182 turkeys this year to help Springfield residents.

Almost every family in the school will receive one of the turkeys, Cross said. The school has between a 96 and 100 percent poverty level, she said, so every bit of help is appreciated.

“It’s a blessing to their family,” Cross said. “We’ve actually had parents calling since September and asking, ‘Are you going to have the turkey giveaway?’”

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