Operation Turkey Comes to Longwood
Issue date: 11/19/08 Section: Features
By Casey Neely
Rotunda Reporter
When you think of Thanksgiving, you typically think of the turkey, stuffing and the multitude of side dishes that accompany the traditional meal. For millions of families, though, this idea is not a reality. That's where Phi Mu Alpha, Longwood's music fraternity, comes in. The brothers of Phi Mu Alpha sponsor Operation Turkey in order to give back to their community and ensure that many Farmville-area families are able to have a traditional Thanksgiving. Operation Turkey is a non-profit service project that provides Thanksgiving dinners to financially struggling families. In order to help these families Operation Turkey collects food items to donate for Thanksgiving. PMA brother and Longwood junior Thomas Mason said about Operation Turkey, "We want to give back to the community and help those less fortunate in society." To increase the number of sign-ups for participation in the local service project, Phi Mu Alpha is currently tabling at the Dorrill Dining Hall lobby and will be there from noon to 2 p.m. and 5 to 7 p.m. until Tuesday, Nov. 18.
Participants have the opportunity to choose the type of family they wish to sponsor. There are a variety of families to choose from, including families with no children, one or two children, single-parent families or adult families. Once the sponsor family is chosen, a food list is provided and participants are expected to purchase these food items for the family. For those donating food items, the Phi Mu Alpha brothers tabling take e-mail addresses and send lists of times and places to drop off the food. Currently, the "A" Room in Lankford Student Union has been reserved from Wednesday, Nov. 19 until Friday, Nov. 21 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for sponsors to drop off the items. Any food not dropped off in the "A" Room during these times is at risk of not being delivered. Once the food is dropped off with Phi Mu Alpha, organizations such as STEPS, Crossroads Christian Fellowship and Farmville Area Community Emergency Services (FACES) will then take care of the delivery of the food items to the sponsor families in need. Food items that may be donated include non-perishables such as corn bread mix, canned vegetables, cranberry sauce, instant mashed or baking potatoes, stuffing mix, pumpkin pie mix and crust, gravies and spices, baking pans, and non-alcoholic beverages. In lieu of donated food items, gift cards may also be donated. Gift certificates can be purchased at local grocery stores in amounts varying from $10 to $20 in order to purchase a turkey or other perishable items.
Rotunda Reporter
When you think of Thanksgiving, you typically think of the turkey, stuffing and the multitude of side dishes that accompany the traditional meal. For millions of families, though, this idea is not a reality. That's where Phi Mu Alpha, Longwood's music fraternity, comes in. The brothers of Phi Mu Alpha sponsor Operation Turkey in order to give back to their community and ensure that many Farmville-area families are able to have a traditional Thanksgiving. Operation Turkey is a non-profit service project that provides Thanksgiving dinners to financially struggling families. In order to help these families Operation Turkey collects food items to donate for Thanksgiving. PMA brother and Longwood junior Thomas Mason said about Operation Turkey, "We want to give back to the community and help those less fortunate in society." To increase the number of sign-ups for participation in the local service project, Phi Mu Alpha is currently tabling at the Dorrill Dining Hall lobby and will be there from noon to 2 p.m. and 5 to 7 p.m. until Tuesday, Nov. 18.
Participants have the opportunity to choose the type of family they wish to sponsor. There are a variety of families to choose from, including families with no children, one or two children, single-parent families or adult families. Once the sponsor family is chosen, a food list is provided and participants are expected to purchase these food items for the family. For those donating food items, the Phi Mu Alpha brothers tabling take e-mail addresses and send lists of times and places to drop off the food. Currently, the "A" Room in Lankford Student Union has been reserved from Wednesday, Nov. 19 until Friday, Nov. 21 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for sponsors to drop off the items. Any food not dropped off in the "A" Room during these times is at risk of not being delivered. Once the food is dropped off with Phi Mu Alpha, organizations such as STEPS, Crossroads Christian Fellowship and Farmville Area Community Emergency Services (FACES) will then take care of the delivery of the food items to the sponsor families in need. Food items that may be donated include non-perishables such as corn bread mix, canned vegetables, cranberry sauce, instant mashed or baking potatoes, stuffing mix, pumpkin pie mix and crust, gravies and spices, baking pans, and non-alcoholic beverages. In lieu of donated food items, gift cards may also be donated. Gift certificates can be purchased at local grocery stores in amounts varying from $10 to $20 in order to purchase a turkey or other perishable items.
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