The Sportsmen Against Hunger/Share the Harvest Program sponsored in central Missouri by the Central Missouri Chapter of Safari Club International (SCI) during the 2013/2014 deer seasons resulted in deer hunters donating 19,606 pounds of venison for charities in central Missouri. A total of 324 whole deer and several partial deer were donated. "We really appreciate the venison donations by deer hunters in this area for it helps provide high protein and low fat meat for charities serving people needing food in central Missouri," said Walter Coleman, President of the Central Missouri Chapter of SCI. The Central Missouri Chapter of SCI is a local sponsor of the Share the Harvest Program.
The Conservation Federation of Missouri and the Central Missouri Chapter of SCI paid the processing cost for whole deer donations. Our chapter wants to thank the deer hunters, meat processors, charities, Missouri Department of Conservation, Conservation Federation of Missouri, California Kiwanis Club, Safari Club International Foundation and all others who helped make the program so successful. Although the amount of venison donated this past year was down somewhat from previous years it reflects the situation statewide for the total deer harvest in Missouri and central Missouri was down as well. "This program illustrates what many partners working together can accomplish that helps serve a need in central Missouri " said Earl Cannon coordinator of the program for the Central Missouri Chapter of SCI.
Donations by processing plants were as follows:
Russellville Locker, Russellville - 4,101 pounds
Hartman's Custom Meat Processing, New Bloomfield - 840 pounds
Crane's Meat Processing, Ashland - 4,500 pounds
R & R Processing, Auxvasse - 2,580 pounds
Swiss Meat & Sausage Co., Hermann - 1,470 pounds
Mexico Meat & Produce, LLC, Mexico - 3,360 pounds
Hanson Hills Campground, Kingdom City - 1,800 pounds
Horn's Meat Processing, Fulton - 965 pounds
The distribution of venison to the charities served was as follows:
Serve, Inc., Fulton - 3,867 pounds
First United Methodist Church Food Pantry, Jefferson City - 180 pounds
New Life Evangelistic Center, Jefferson City, New Bloomfield, Columbia - 500 lbs.
California United Methodist Church Food Pantry, California - 1,200 pounds
Samaritan Center, Jefferson City - 660 pounds
Food Bank for Central & Northeast Missouri, Columbia - 4,500 pounds
The Salvation Army, Jefferson City - 1,093 pounds
The Salvation Army, Columbia - 750 pounds
Oak Chapel Missionary Baptist Church, New Bloomfield - 350 pounds
The Help Center, Mexico - 3,360 pounds
Helping Hands Outreach Center of Gasconade County, Owensville and
Hermann Community Food Pantry, Hermann - 1,470 pounds
Hope House, Lake Ozark - 600 pounds
Eldon Ministerial Alliance Food Pantry, Eldon - 600 pounds
Holts Summit Soup Kitchen, Holts Summit - 81 pounds
Rocky Mount Baptist Church Food Pantry, Rocky Mount - 380 pounds
For additional information contact Earl Cannon, Coordinator Sportsmen Against Hunger/Share the Harvest Program, Central Missouri Chapter of SCI at 573-636-4292.