‘Tis the season and the East Peterborough Lions Club is calling on the community to help bring turkey, ham, and joy to homes and kitchen tables throughout the city this year.
The East Peterborough Lions Club is once again hoping to gift each Peterborough family in need a holiday meal for Christmas. The club is coordinating the collection and distribution of turkeys and hams for hungry families through the “Great Turkey Exchange.”
“The East Peterborough Lions Club would like to see our community come together ensuring no one goes without a holiday meal,” Frank Hewitt, president of the East Peterborough Lions Club, told kawarthaNOW.
“Every donation, whether big or small, brings us closer to this goal and helps spread the spirit of giving,” Hewitt added. “Projects such as this enable us to remember why we are here — we serve.”
The Great Turkey Exchange was first organized in 2009 by Lois Tuffin through Peterborough This Week when she was the editor-in-chief. The program ran for 12 years and distributed 2,700 turkeys and hams until it went on hiatus in 2021, after pandemic-related supply chain shortages made it difficult to get donations.
At Tuffin’s request, the East Peterborough Lions Club agreed to take over the program in 2022 and subsequent years.
“Our club has helped out by delivering turkeys to groups and we saw how grateful people are to have strangers help feed their families,” Hewitt said. “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to continue the program and fill such a great need in our community.”
Over its history, the program has delivered the main course for more than 17,000 Christmas dinners in the Peterborough area.
Most of the turkeys and hams donated to the program came from individual residents and businesses who recognized the sentimental and nutritional value of a traditional Christmas meal, according to a media release from the Lions Club.
Residents and businesses can help by donating turkeys and hams for those who don’t have access to an oven, or they can donate cash or gift cards so the food can be purchased.
Donations will be welcomed at Kawartha Food Share, located at 665 Neal Dr. in Peterborough, or can be picked up by the Lions Club if residents provide their address by sending an email to greatturkeyexchange@gmail.com.
Food items will be distributed to families who can’t afford a turkey or ham and would otherwise go without one. Those in need are asked to email greatturkeyexchange@gmail.com and request to be placed on the donation list.
Last year, the East Peterborough Lions Club delivered 75 donated turkeys and hams to residents.
Lions Clubs International is the world’s largest service club organization with more than 1.4 million members in approximately 46,000 clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas around the world.
The East Peterborough Lions Club was established 47 years ago.
