Teen Ambassadors provide holiday turkeys, hams to those in need

The Monroe County 4-H Teen Ambassadors Club recently raised $1,600 for its annual Pennies for Turkeys program.

Funds were donated by area businesses and families and Monroe County 4-H Clubs.

“We were able to purchase 40 hams and 43 turkeys,” Tammy Schmidt, leader of Teen Ambassadors, said.

Schmidt and her son, Camden, stored the meat at Independent Dairy on Telegraph Road.

“Mr. Mike Cheney, one of the owners of the dairy, was kind enough to let us store the meat in their freezers again this year. He has helped us every year,” Tammy Schmidt said.

Larry and Linda Richter, Vietnam veterans, help every year with the distribution.

“They get in contact with different families that need help providing a holiday meal for their family. This is a complete team effort to provide families with a wonderful meal,” Tammy Schmidt said.

Hope Blevins started Pennies for Turkeys in 2008, when she was the president of Teen Ambassadors. Teen Ambassadors has continued the drive since then.

“My thought process behind it was that it’s much easier to ask people for loose change, like pennies, than it is for a cash donation,” Blevins said. “(In 2008), as a club we counted money and rolled all the change. We made it a club challenge and gave out a turkey trophy to the club that donated the most money. In 2008, we raised $1,116 and brought 85 turkeys which were donated to the Salvation Army and the Vietnam Veterans. We went around to local grocery stores to see if they would cut down prices, since it was a community service project.”

Before Pennies for Turkeys, the Ambassadors bought meat for those in need, but less money was raised.

Jaren Schmidt is this year’s Teen Ambassador president.

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Teen Ambassadors provide holiday meat to those in need