Thank you
Good afternoon,
Happy Thanksgiving! Today was a remarkable day for me. It was the first opportunity to open the new Bikinis on 6th Street to the Operation Turkey volunteers. It may seem common for a restaurant to open its doors and invite an organization like Operation Turkey to operate from its facility, but it is not. i spent half the year looking for a new restaurant in the downtown area and was turned down countless times by folks that you visit weekly who were not interested in helping.
Then things changed when I received a call from the Bikinis team. Not only did they want to expand the program, but they had just bought space for a new restaurant on 6th Street and offered it to Operation Turkey. This is the type of compassionate and social entrepreneurial spirit that makes Operation Turkey what it is today. So please think of Bikinis the next time you are looking for a sports bar to watch the game. Their staff is amazing and with their help, and yours, we fed over 4,000 people in Austin today.
Something struck a chord with me as I looked around and saw that each of you took time from your normal daily life to join us in our campaign to feed the homeless. You took the time to hug and love the people in our community. You did so without any other reward than knowing that you were doing the right thing. You make Austin the best town in the US to live. Without you this would not have been a Thanksgiving. Please know that I love each and every one of you for being there by our side. I trust that you had as much fun as I did and are now basking in the warm feeling of a job done well.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving with your friends, families and neighbors. Keep that feeling of compassionate giving in your heart. Hug people whenever possible and that next year we will do it again, and then again and again.
Please send me any comments you have about today. See you around Austin my friends.
Warmest Regards,
Richard M. Bagdonas
Executive Director
Operation Turkey(TM) and the Austin Yam Jam(TM)
www.operationturkey.com
www.austinyamjam.com
P.S.: We could not have done it today without the leadership of Bryan and Angi Menell at the North Austin location. They stepped up and accepted the challenge. Would you like a challenge next year? Please contact me at richard@operationturkey.com and we will get you in the leadership program for Operation Turkey.
|
|
Print this story
|
Click for printer friendly version
|
|
|
|
|
|
Welcome to Operation Turkey
|
|
 |
DONATE TO
OPERATION TURKEY
Operation Turkey delivers Thanksgiving dinners to the homeless and less fortunate people in our communities.
We need your help - from food donations, preparation and delivery - we have a need for volunteers.
Please click the link in the upper right hand corner to become a volunteer.
Here are some of the cities that wonderful people will be handing out dinners:
Austin, TX
Beaumont, TX
Dallas, TX
Grass Valley, NV
Houston, TX
Manassas, VA
New Orleans, LA
Newport Beach, CA
Newport News, VA
Pottstown, PA
Rapid City, SD
Round Rock, TX
San Antonio, TX
San Marcos, TX
Temple, TX
Waco, TX
Woodbridge, VA
Thank you to SurfMySite, Inc. ( www.surfmysite.com ) for sponsoring our website each year.
Operation Turkey is a non-profit organization that accepts donations that are 100% used to purchase food for the homeless at Thanksgiving.
|
|
|
|
