The Central Missouri Chapter of Safari Club International (SCI) will once again be the local sponsor for a Share the Harvest Program in Central Missouri. This program gives deer hunters the opportunity to donate venison provided to charities serving the needy. "Last year almost 28,000 pounds of venison were donated through our program and we appreciate very much the support from deer hunters, Missouri Department of Conservation, Conservation Federation of Missouri, meat processors, charities and many other partners who make this program possible," said Walter Coleman, President of the Central Missouri Chapter of SCI.
All hunters need do is have their deer processed at one of the meat processors in our program and indicate the number of pounds they wish to donate from one pound up to a whole deer. Processors processing whole deer donated will have the costs paid by the Conservation Federation of Missouri (CFM) at $60 per deer and the Central Missouri Chapter of SCI will pay the remainder until a cap at each processing plant is reached and funds run out. Hunters not able to donate a whole deer are encouraged to donate a portion of their deer for if those successful hunters in our area donated just a few pounds of venison each it would really help increase the amount for the needy.
Processors participating in our program are the following: Hartman's Custom Meat Processing, New Bloomfield; Russellville Locker, Russellville; R & R Processing, Auxvasse; Crane's Meat Processing, Ashland; Swiss Meat & Sausage Co., Hermann, Mexico Meat & Produce LLC, Mexico; Horn's Meat Processing, Fulton; and Hanson Hills Campground, Kingdom City.
There is a big need for food to serve needy people in central Missouri. We will be serving 16 charities with venison this year that include the following: The Food Bank for Central & Northeast Missouri, Columbia; Serve, Inc. Fulton; The Salvation Army, Columbia and Jefferson City; Samaritan Center, Jefferson City; First United Methodist Church Food Pantry, Jefferson City; Oak Chapel Missionary Baptist Church Food Pantry, New Bloomfield; New Life Evangelistic Center, New Bloomfield; California United Methodist Church Food Pantry, California; Holts Summit Soup Kitchen, Holts Summit; Hope House, Lake Ozark; Eldon Ministerial Alliance, Eldon; The Help Center, Mexico; Helping Hands Outreach Center of Gasconade County, Owensville; Hermann Community Food Pantry, Hermann and Rocky Mount Baptist Church Food Pantry, Eldon.
Those interested in helping with the program, or those with questions, should contact Earl Cannon, Coordinator, e-mail: [email protected] or call 573 636-4292.