The Central Missouri Chapter of Safari Club International will again be the local coordinator 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, 15,600 pounds of venison were donated through this program that helped fill a great need, and we are hoping for an increase this year," Walter Coleman, SCI Central Missouri Chapter president, said. "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."
To donate venison to Share the Harvest, hunters must have their deer processed at a participating meat processors and indicate the number of pounds they wish to donate. Processors processing whole deer donated will have the costs paid by CFM at $75 per deer, and the Central Missouri Chapter of SCI will pay the remainder until a cap at each processing plant is reached. Hunters not able to donate a whole deer are encouraged to donate a portion.
Local processors participating in Share the Harvest include Crane's Meat Processing in Ashland, Horn's Meat Processing in Fulton and Hanson Hills Campground in Kingdom City.
This year, the Russellville Locker will not process deer, as the facility is being remodeled.
Charities that have received venison from the Russellville Locker in the past can contact one of the other participating processors to request venison from the Share the Harvest program.
This year's participating charities include the Food Bank for Central & Northeast Missouri, Columbia; SERVE Inc., Fulton; the Salvation Army, Columbia and Jefferson City; Samaritan Center, Jefferson City; the Pantry, Jefferson City; New Life Evangelistic Center, New Bloomfield; Oak Chapel Baptist Church Food Pantry, New Bloomfield; Moniteau Christian Ministries Center, California; Holts Summit Soup Kitchen; Hope House, Lake Ozark; Eldon Ministerial Alliance, Eldon; Rocky Mount Baptist Church Food Pantry, Eldon; and the Holts Summit Ministerial Alliance Food Pantry.
Those interested in helping with the program or with questions should contact coordinator Mike Nolting at [email protected] or 573-645-1705, or assistant coordinator Earl Cannon at [email protected] or 573-353-5030.