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Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers raise funds to buy turkeys for local families

FOOTHILLS – A Thanksgiving meal of turkey with all the trimmings for most folks is something simply taken for granted, but for some less fortunate in the Foothills, having the support of the community can be the difference between enjoying a special holiday meal or going hungry.

The Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers of Polk and Rutherford Counties are intent to make certain no family goes without on Thanksgiving. The group is currently raising money to purchase turkeys for local families. To accomplish their cause, they’ve partnered with Outreach, a non-profit organization that has provided crisis assistance for more than 30 years to Polk County families and individuals in need of assistance with day-to-day necessities such as food, heating, and housing.

An active member of the Farm Bureau community is advocate Sofia Lilly, a second-generation farmer and winemaker at Overmountain Vineyards.

“I’m very involved with North Carolina Farm Bureau, a non-profit organization that stands up for rural communities and farm life,” said Lilly, who is also a certified sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers. “Last Thanksgiving, Outreach provided 195 turkeys to families in our community. So far, this year, we’ve raised more $430 and purchased 27 turkeys to help Outreach.”

Lilly said the organization will continue the fundraiser through the end of December to help Outreach not only with Thanksgiving, but also to provide families in the community with Christmas dinners as well.

Outreach Executive Director, Margot Carter expressed appreciation for the fundraiser and praised the commitment of the Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers.

“Outreach supports the community, but it’s really community supporting community,” said Carter. “We are so grateful to organizations like Sofia’s. She jumped right in and wanted to help and provide the most impact. It was unsolicited and I want to express my gratitude to her and for all those who support us because Outreach could not do what we do without this community’s very generous support.”

Cash and check donations are being collected until the end of the year at the Polk County Farm Bureau office located at 156 East Mills St., Columbus and at Overmountain Vineyards at 2012 Sandy Plains Rd., Tryon. Donations can also be made via Venmo: @overmountain10 if you are unable to drop by the other locations listed.