The 6th Annual Kent Turkey Challenge is coming!
2016 logo for the Annual Turkey Challenge
During the holiday season most of us sit down to share a warm meal with family and friends while hundreds of families in our community have to stand in a line outside two days prior to Thanksgiving in hopes of receiving food from the Kent Food Bank. If supplies run out, they will be turned away empty handed. In order to give these families a memorable Thanksgiving, the community can join together in a holiday food drive during the 6th Annual Kent Turkey Challenge from Oct.6 – Nov. 14, 2016 with the goal of raising $25,000 and 10,000 pounds of food.
Below is a description of the Annual Kent Turkey Challenge, a brief history of the event, some big things that are happening this year and more.
What is the Annual Turkey Challenge?
Such a great display for the Challenge! What will you come up with?
Every year the Annual Kent Turkey Challenge in Kent, Wash. grows in popularity and competition continues to mount between the local businesses and organizations involved. During the 6th Annual Kent Turkey Challenge we will see who can collect and raise the most food and monetary donations for the Kent Food Bank. One hundred percent of the proceeds from this event are given to local Kent families to combat hunger during the holiday season. We will drop off boxes for donations between Oct. 4-6 and then pick up all donations between Nov. 14-16 and bring them to the food bank.
Turkey Challenge in the past
Over the past five years, donations to the Kent Food Bank from the Annual Kent Turkey Challenge total more than $81,700 and 25,000 pounds of food, feeding thousands of families that would otherwise go without a Thanksgiving meal. See the Annual Turkey Challenge winners of 2015:
Handing out turkeys from the 2015 Challenge
TOP BUSINESSES FOR FOOD COLLECTIONS
•Express Employment Pros – 1,644 cans and goods
• Kent Valley Hockey Association – 972 cans and goods
• Grass Lake Elementary School – 958 cans and goods
• Pacific Power Group – 583 cans and goods
• Kent United Methodist – 350 cans and goods
TOP BUSINESSES FOR CASH COLLECTIONS
• Ski’s Painting, Inc. - $8,500
• Eberle Vivian - $3,100
• Torklift Central - $2,725
• Pacific Power Group - $2,522
• Kent United Methodist - $2,359
Things to expect this year
There are even more exciting things going on this year for the city of Kent and the Annual Turkey Challenge. We’d like to thank everyone that contributes to the Challenge by sharing the details with our community below:
Mayor Suzette Cooke visits Torklift Central for the 40th Anniversary
• June 2016: Mayor Suzette Cooke visited Torklift Central in celebration of our 40th Anniversary and to recognize our community effort
• The Kent City Council and Mayor Suzette Cooke will be announcing an official proclamation of the Turkey Challenge at the City Council meeting on Oct. 4, 2016
• The Seattle-Tacoma Box Company donated boxes to use for the Challenge
• Make sure you check out ILoveKent.net for Challenge updates
• Both the Kent Chamber and Kent Downtown Partnership are sharing the Turkey Challenge in their newsletters, so keep an eye out for them
• The Kent Reporter is spotlighting the top five leaders of the Challenge every week
We at Torklift Central will list every contributing organization on the Leader Board, located here. Follow along as we’ll also have a tabulation of the total contributions the community has collected.
We need your support!
Dropping off donations to the Kent Food Bank during the 2015 Challenge
Torklift Central asks for your support to make the 6th Annual Kent Turkey Challenge the most successful to date. As a community service, this is an opportunity for us to make a lasting positive impact in the lives of families that are searching for hope during the holiday season.
The 6th Annual Kent Turkey Challenge is also a great way for businesses to have a friendly competition with each other while also being involved with fundraising and the food drive. Not only will the Kent Reporter highlight the top 5 leaders of the competition each week, but we will also be spotlighting the leading businesses and organizations on Facebook and e-newsletters.
With your help, we can reach our 6th Anniversary goal of $25,000 and 10,000 pounds of food. To fight hunger with us and participate in this Kent food drive, please contact Katie at: [email protected].
Torklift Central
315 Central Ave N. Kent, WA 98032
[email protected]
877-343-6933
www.torkliftcentral.com
Written by Kerstin Stokes:
As a graduate from the College of Idaho with a B.A. in both History and Art, Kerstin has found her passion for writing and marketing. She enjoys looking up tasty recipes for baking and daydreaming about future travels.