ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Mother Nature refused to make up her mind.
Drizzle, then sleet, then flurries. A fickle girl, to be sure.
On a blustery November Friday, Provident Bank, New Bethany food pantry and the Lehigh Valley IronPigs partnered to organize a turkey drive for a fifth consecutive year to hold a frozen turkey drive.
The organizers and those who donated frozen turkeys at Coca-Cola Park swore the holiday mood of giving was being held in balmy climes.
Approximately 2,000 turkeys were donated by corporate partners and Lehigh Valley residents.
Large trucks from corporate partners filled with boxes of frozen turkeys were unloaded at the dropoff location just outside the ballpark and loaded into other vehicles. Residents also rolled up in vehicles to deliver their turkeys.
The birds were ultimately placed in a refrigerated truck and ticketed for distribution to 19 area nonprofit agencies and schools later that afternoon.
Cold day. Warm outreach.
“We are warming today up from the inside out,” said Andrea Reid, corporate event manager for Provident Bank, who stood beneath an open-air tent with a space heater.
“There is such a need every year, but this year more than ever. Grocery prices, the way that they are, and rent and housing crises are rising. This turkey drive initiative is beautiful in that we are provisioning these families to have and celebrate Thanksgiving at their homes, around their tables, with their families.”
“Through our collaboration with Provident Bank and the Lehigh Valley IronPigs for this year’s turkey drive, we’re able to take direct action against hunger in our community."Marc Rittle, executive director, New Bethany
Corporate sponsors that donated turkeys are Jaindl Farms, B. Braun, Peoples Security Bank & Trust, Vizi, The Arc of Lehigh & Northampton Counties and ShopRite.
“Through our collaboration with Provident Bank and the Lehigh Valley IronPigs for this year’s turkey drive, we’re able to take direct action against hunger in our community,” said Marc Rittle, executive director at New Bethany.
“We will not only provide essential meals for families, but also demonstrate the impact of our local organizations working together to help us make a difference for those who need it most.”
The event marked Provident Bank’s eighth consecutive year sponsoring the frozen turkey drive.
The event is known as the Bob Price Memorial Turkey Drive, a former senior vice president at Provident Bank who died in May, to honor his enduring spirit of community service and activism.
IronPigs President and General Manager Kurt Landes knows firsthand the invaluable support New Bethany provides to the less fortunate in the area.
“I’ve had the chance to serve homeless people and others in need at their kitchen,” he said. “ They do God’s work, as it were.
“To be able to be involved has been a source of pride to help others at this time of year. The hope is that everyone, no matter your economic position, has a chance to have a hot meal. On Thanksgiving, that just means a little more. It also provides a little bit of hope that people care.”
