The third annual NIC Turkey Drive experienced a shortage this year.
“My understanding is demand is up,” director of admissions and registrar Tami Haft said. “People who were donating are now in need themselves.”
Each year, the Registrar’s Office collects turkeys and “Thanksgiving dinner trimmings” for the Community Action Partnership Food Bank. According to Haft, NIC collected 60 turkeys and 1,063 pounds of food this year.
This year’s drive lasted a little over a week. Donations were accepted until November 17.
“What we found is a longer period of time doesn’t necessarily mean more donations,” Haft said.
Those wishing to donate were asked to deliver the food to the Registrar’s Office in Lee-Kildow Hall, near the Educated Cup in the Student Union Building, or Emery’s Restaurant upstairs in the Hedlund Building. These locations were chosen because they had freezers readily available. Financial donations were collected by the Registrar’s Office.
Haft said that the monetary donations had been used in previous years to purchase turkeys and other foods. This year, however, the Food Bank asked that the money only be used to buy turkeys.
While everyone was welcome to donate, it was predominantly NIC employees who did so, not students. Haft attributes this to the way in which the drive was advertised.
The fliers, which were released starting Nov. 11, are largely sent through e-mail alerts. According to Haft, students do not make up the majority of those who sign up to receive e-mail alerts.
On Nov. 12, some people involved in the drive also stood outside the Safeway on Fourth Street for several hours and collected food and money.
Haft started NIC’s involvement in the drive three years ago.
“[The Food Bank’s drive] was on the news one night,” Haft said. “There was a need.”
Haft said she brought the idea into the Registrar’s office, and they all decided it was a good idea. “We’ve been doing it every year since,” Haft said.
She said the Registrar’s Office will do the drive again next year.
