Students Donate More Than 1K Turkeys to Those in Need

More than 1,200 turkeys were donated Saturday by Turkeys 4U to local food pantries for distribution to those in need this holiday season.

Turkeys 4U is a corporation started in 2001 by a 14-year-old Kinnelon High School freshman, Blake Wheale, who wanted to raise money to provide turkeys for those who could not afford them for the Thanksgiving holiday.

were also donated to the the Father English Center in Paterson by the group.

Turkeys 4U is made up of a group of high school students from Kinnelon and Montville. The students raise money throughout the year to purchase the turkeys and donate them in November. This year's group is made up of 19 students, 15 of whom are from Kinnelon and four are from Montville.

Debra and Larry Casha, Kinnelon residents with a law practice in Montville, advise the group as part of Montville UNICO. Roger Huss serves as the liaison for Our Lady of the Magnificat Church with the Father English Food Pantry in Paterson, a recipient of some of the turkeys.