DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla.—Promoter Don King continues his over-40-year tradition of distributing turkeys to families in need during the holidays with an ambitious plan to distribute 100,000 turkeys—2.2 million pounds of turkey in all—in five states on Monday.
Kelly Hiser of Kelly Oil has assembled an impressive team including Don King Productions, Inc., Kelly Oil, Cargill, Southwest Airlines and Feeding America. The goal of this year’s “Christmas Turkey Tour” is to disseminate 100,000 turkeys—20,000 turkeys in each of five states in a single day: Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.
Longtime Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour is pleased so see the Turkey Tour making a stop in his state.
“Don King’s efforts will make Christmas a happier time for many Mississippi families,” Barbour said. “I appreciate the fact that he hasn’t forgotten Mississippi in these years after Hurricane Katrina.”
King hopes the effort will feed over 2 million people.
“The rule of thumb when you cook turkey for the family is one pound per person,” King said. “With that simple homemaker math, we will give out enough turkey in one day to feed 2.2 million people.”
King added, “I’ve been doing this for the better part of my life, and at age 77, I can’t remember a more important year to be reaching out to those in need. That is why I am rallying with this great team to do the most we have ever done. These are hard times for far too many Americans this year, and the people in the Gulf States have been hit twice as hard with hurricanes and the economy in crisis. A turkey in as many pots as possible is our goal.”
Distribution sites are being coordinated by Feeding America for Houston, Texas; New Orleans, La.; Jackson, Miss.; Birmingham, Ala.; and Tampa Bay, Fla. There will also be additional distributions in Biloxi, Miss.; Miami, Fla.; Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; and West Palm Beach, Fla.
“I can’t say enough about the generosity of Kelly Hiser at Kelly Oil, Cargill for the Pride of the Farm turkeys; Southwest Airlines for their help in transportation; and Feeding America in coordinating the distribution sites in five states,” King said.
“I have been asked, ‘Why would you want to try to fly to five states in one day to distribute turkeys?’ The answer is that in our great nation we have a lot of people who need help. In the spirit of America, we must come together to find ways and means to help as many people as possible.”