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Waterioo businessman donates 1,400 turkeys to House of Friendship‘s holiday help campaign arry Abelson‘s mission Bhas grown from year to year: to ensure no child in Waterloo Region goes without a turkey dinâ€" ner for Christmas. And this is his third conâ€" secutive Christmas helping the House of Friendship raise money to purchase turkeys for needy children and families this coming holiday. "If you‘re a kid and you‘re poor, it‘s tough when everybody else is celebratâ€" ing Christmas and having turkey, and you‘re having just rice for Christmas Day," said Abelson. Abetson of Abelson Sidâ€" ings and Windows, located at 49 Durward PL in Waterâ€" log, has managed to donate a considerable $3,000 for the turkey drive which brought in 167 turkeys for lowâ€"income families, on top of the hundreds more he had already donated in the past two years. _ The turkeys were all gobâ€" bled up in a matter of two to three days. After donating the first year, word got out of Abelâ€" son‘s donation, so friends and business associates told him that if he decided to donate again to let them know because they would also be interested in making a contribution. "I asked the House of Friendship how many turkeys they would need to feed every family of three or more in Waterloo Region and they said 1,000," the communityâ€"oriented busiâ€" nessman explained. So last year, Abelson worked toward his new goal by writing letters to approxiâ€" mately 30 people and busiâ€" nesses. requesting monetary donations so he could purâ€" chase turkeys for the needy families. From just writing letters, Abelson managed to raise By Rran Conneu For The Chronicle A Gift of Great Taste One gift certificate â€" three restaurants inis "| was rather impressed with the girth of the pepper mill" Barry Abelson (left) of Abelson Siding and Windows in Waterloo made a big turkey donation again to the House of Frienship last week, of the seasonal staple to the charity‘s Guelph Street location. On hand to move the birds was the House of Friendship‘s Cam Watson. Th support the House of Friendship‘s annual Christmas hamper campaign. enough money to purchase 1,200 turkeys for families in need â€" with several turkeys left over to go to other local community services like St. John‘s Kitchen and Camâ€" bridge and Elmira food banks. When the holiday season came around this year, the House of Friendship asked Abelson if he would be interested in helping out again. He couldn‘t refuse. So for the third straight vear, Abelson sent out letters (octual guest comment â€" sedously!) BUSINESS * volume incentves available asking people and businessâ€" es to assist in the cause. "This year, we raised enough money for 1,400 turkeys â€" just like that," Abelson exclaimed. All together, Abelson estiâ€" mated there were about 30 people from 20 companies who donated to the turkey drive and 10 individuals who donated on their own. He made the first donaâ€" tion of 500 15â€"pound turkeys on Dec. 13, with all of the turkeys being purâ€" â€" Sharon A chased at a discounted price from Hilltop Acres Poultry in Breslau. Abelson‘s interest in helping the House of Friendship began when he decided to visit the food bank to see what was being offered to needy families. The House of Friendâ€" ship‘s food hampers notrâ€" mally provide a wide range of staples that will last a family for three to five days. Starches, pastas, potaâ€" toes, rice and canned goods were among the majority of food items given out to those in need, but he couldâ€" n‘t recall seeing any meats in the packages. So Abelson‘s turkey donation is a significant contribution to the House of Friendship‘s emergency hamper program, said Greg Newton, the program superâ€" visor for the turkey drive. The organization‘s hamâ€" per program serves more than 18,000 people through the entire year. "Barry Abelson has really once again outdone himâ€" self," Newton said, finding Abelson‘s assistance a winâ€" win situation to all of those involved. "There‘s an actual bird going to families and 1 can tell you that just by working the front counter, a lot of people are really happy to receive that. "If Barry didn‘t do that, then there‘d be about 1,500 less â€" people _ receiving turkeys." ek, bringing in a skid load The turkeys will go to BD#8 VRBANAC PHOTO