Operation Turkey volunteers prep to feed thousands on Thanksgiving Day
AUSTIN, Texas - The Operation Turkey tradition goes back 19 years.
Every year, volunteers meet at Third Base in Northwest Austin to fry and smoke 600 turkeys in preparation to serve the less fortunate on Thanksgiving Thursday.
“This organization was started in 2000 by a friend of mine named Richard Bagdonas serving one meal here in Austin, Texas,” said Brian Tolbert, executive director of Operation Turkey.
Bagdonas passed the torch to Tolbert. Ever since then, he has never felt more gratified.
“When I leave the location I'm leaving for Thanksgiving Day and I see all the homeless people eating out of these clamshell plates with little messages of ‘Happy Thanksgiving’ that all of the kids drew on those clamshell plates that morning, I know everybody in Austin is having a warm meal for thanksgiving, that’s the gratification I get,” said Tolbert.
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On Thanksgiving Day they will set up at various locations around town to hand out and drop off meals. Volunteers here have been up since the wee hours of the morning and often stay very late cooking until all the food is gone.
“We drove in from Lake Buchanan this morning, got the pit set up around 6:15, put turkeys on around 7 or 7:30,” said Chuck Schoenfield, volunteer and pitmaster.
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Schoenfield says with all the city politics and social climate at city hall with the homeless, it's nice to take a day and appreciate one another.
“With everything that's going on, the way they are trying to move the homeless back out away from the downtown area, it's just a good time for them to sit down and have a meal with family and friends and just enjoy Thanksgiving,” he said.
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The hours are early, the labor is intense, but for these volunteers, this is a labor of love.
“It gives the homeless people a Thanksgiving they wouldn't get. To me giving back is very important,” said Schoenfield.
Volunteers will be delivering meals from 8 a.m. to noon on Thanksgiving Day. For more information visit Operation Turkey's website.