For the fifth year, Fresno State’s Give a Gobbler campaign will provide student-produced turkeys for the holidays to struggling families through the Community Food Bank, Poverello House and Bulldog Pantry, a student-run food bank serving university neighbors in need.
For $25, donors purchase turkeys at the student-run Rue and Gwen Gibson Farm Market that are donated to one of the three organizations. New this year: donations of $5 and 10 can be made toward the purchase of a turkey.
Fresno State President John D. Welty kicked off the 2011 campaign on Wednesday, Nov. 9, by purchasing six turkeys.
He was joined by Jaclyn Pack of the Food Bank, Kathryn Weakland of Poverello House and Jessica Medina of Bulldog Pantry, Associated Students Inc. President Selena Farnesi, Richard Zacky of Zacky Farms, and Dr. Sandra Witte, associate dean of the Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology.
Welty announced that with the addition of Bulldog Pantry, Fresno State has increased its goal to 150 donated birds. In previous years, goals of 100 and 50 have been exceeded.
The Bulldog Pantry was established in 2007 and is at 2311 E. Shaw Ave. across from the campus. The Give a Gobbler donations are especially welcome this year, said Medina, because other donations have been reduced.
“This partnership will greatly benefit the Bulldog Pantry this year,” said Medina, the volunteer coordinator. “Our families will not only have food each week, but an amazing holiday meal.”
Along with additional food drives such as Caroling for Cans by Fresno State’s Associated Students Inc., Give a Gobbler will help the Bulldog Pantry provide holiday meal boxes for 100-150 additional families this year. Bulldog Pantry distributes groceries to students and families 9-10:30 a.m. Saturdays.
President Welty said the spirit of students working together to give back to their community is at the core of the campaign’s success and a cornerstone of the university’s commitment to volunteer service.
Processed and packaged through Zacky Farms, the turkeys sold each year at the Gibson Farm market, are raised on the campus farm by animal science students under Dr. Michelle Ganci.
Animal Science students participate in all aspects of getting turkeys ready for market – feeding, environmental management and health care.
“The group of students I have is really quite amazing,” said Ganci, a Fresno State alumnus. “They’re proud of being able to raise the birds to get hands-on experience, provide a quality food source and give back to the community.”
Poults –turkeys a day or two old – are sent to Fresno State to be raised by students at the Poultry Unit, one of the enterprise operations on the 1,083-acre Agricultural Laboratory. After 18-23 weeks, the turkeys are sent to Zacky Farms to be processed and packaged for sale at the Farm Market.
Justin Tran, an animal science major, has raised turkeys for Give a Gobbler for three years and enjoys the hands-on experience and the opportunity to give back to the community.
“The satisfaction of selflessly helping others is unrivaled by any other activity that I participate in,” Tran said. “Give a Gobbler demonstrates to the community that agriculture cares.”
Donation checks can be made out to Agricultural Foundation of California State University, Fresno and sent to Agricultural Operations, c/o director, California State University, Fresno, 2385 E. Barstow Ave., M/S AG85, Fresno CA 93740.
The Gibson Farm Market at Barstow and Chestnut avenues is open 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday.
For more information, contact Dr. Ganesan Srinivasan, director of the Agricultural Laboratory, at 559.278.4235 or gsrinivasan@csufresno.edu.
(Copy by University Communications news intern Nicole Maul.)
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