BOERNE, TEXAS –
Nearly 8,000 turkeys and two houses were awarded to military members and families Nov. 22 during the ninth annual Turkeys for Troops event in Boerne, Texas.
Six hundred volunteers from military and veteran units, businesses, and other organizations gathered to help hand-out turkeys as military members, veterans and military families drove through a local car dealership’s parking lot.
“We started off doing 500 turkeys nine years ago, which went to 1,000 and then 1,500. Now, we’re over 7,000,” said Vic Vaughan, owner of Toyota of Boerne. “We’ll probably go to close to 8,000 today.”
It was more than just turkeys being given away.
The Military Warriors Support Foundation’s, “Home4WoundedHeroes,” and their partners gave two mortgage-free homes to two military families as well.
“We’re happy to be able to do this, but it is really our partners too; we couldn’t do it without them,” Vaughan said. “This is a big military community, and in our own way, we wanted to let the military know how much we appreciate them.”
Of the many volunteers, there are also many reasons for them to serve. For one military member, it is about family.
“I like to do events like these that bring families closer together,” said Staff Sgt. Joshua Ramos, 433rd Airlift Wing command post controller. “I noticed there is a family out here volunteering their time to hand out turkeys. I thought it was an amazing thing, why not, do that with your family as well?”