Food Science Association turkeys are gobbled-up during sale

by Breanne Brammer, posted Nov. 29, 2011

For those who missed the chance to harvest their own turkey this year during the hunting season, the Food Science Association offered an opportunity to get a turkey, and this one was already oven ready. The organization held its annual frozen turkey sale from Nov. 16-18 because holiday dinners are not the same without a turkey.

The turkey fundraiser advertisements were posted in the CAFNR newsletter to promote the annual sale. Cargill donated many of the turkeys and the rest were purchased from local vendors. The $30 turkeys were offered as frozen or refrigerated and weighed around 10-12 lbs.

Julia Witthaus is a freshman agriculture business major from Hermann, Mo. For her, turkeys bring back treasured memories of Thanksgiving.

"My grandma always bakes our turkey for Thanksgiving," Witthaus said. "I remember her preparing it the day before and working on it the next morning. Now, every time I see a turkey, I think of being at family gatherings and all of the fun times we had."

The Food Science Association offered students an opportunity to bring a turkey home to their families for Thanksgiving at an affordable price.

Gelsey Minnick is the vice president of the Food Science Association and a coordinator of the Food Science Association turkey fundraiser.

"I think most people are using them for their Thanksgiving turkey," Minnick said. "Basically all you have to do is heat it up. You don't have to get up at 5 a.m."

For every canned food item a customer brought in, 25 cents were knocked off the final purchase price. Up to 20 canned food items could be donated, saving customers up to $5 per turkey, and the collection benefited the Columbia Food Bank. Selling Thanksgiving turkeys is a Food Science Association tradition, but the donation option is new.

"This is the first year we have used the canned food incentive," Minnick said.
Purchasing turkeys from the Food Science Association supports local community food banks and the Mizzou club with their travel funds and expenses.

"We use the funds throughout the year," Minnick said. "Mainly to fund our industry tour trips."

The industry trips educate club members of careers they can obtain in the food science business. The trips also give them connections in the field. Last year, the tours were in St. Louis and this year, the club will be headed to Kansas City. The Mizzou Food Science Association will also use the turkey sale funds to attend the college quiz bowl in Texas.

"I plan on purchasing a turkey this year to bring home to my family," said Carrie Boon, MU freshman animal science major from Chillicothe. "I think it would be a nice surprise."

Turkeys can bring back memories of family gatherings and will be sure to fill your bellies this holiday season. The Food Science Association sold 95 turkeys this year and donated 20 canned food items to the Columbia food bank. For more information, contact Gelsey Minnick at glmkv9@mail.missouri.edu or 678- 462-5652.

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