Media dept. helps save turkeys

This Thanksgiving, $25 will save a turkey's life.     

The Rio Grande Campus media center, room 225, is accepting donations on behalf of Farm Sanctuary's Adopt-A-Turkey Project.  Last year they sponsored three turkeys.  This year they hope for more.

"Just because you're going to eat a turkey doesn't mean you can't save one too," ACC staff member Stephanie Bogdanich said.

Once rescued, a sponsored turkey is sent to a farm sanctuary in California, and a picture of the turkey is sent back to the donator. Students are invited to see the pictures of last year's turkeys at the Rio Grande media center.

Originally Bogdanich started supporting the foundation with one fellow employee.  Then, more members of the media center staff started to show interest. Before they knew it, faculty wanted to donate as well.

"It was a Thanksgiving miracle where everyone wanted to chime in," Bogdanich said.

While many of the media center employees are vegetarian or vegan, there are some meat eaters like ACC student and staff member Xochitl Gostomski that support the project.

"I eat meat," Gostomski said.  "It's not don't eat meat, it's don't support corporate farming."

Gostomski feels that turkeys, as well as other animals, are mistreated by corporate farms.

"It helps to take turkeys from this situation, and put them in a better place until they die," Gostomski said.

ACC staff member Andrea Junker feels that saving a turkey can be even better than not eating a turkey.

"Rather than just a change of diet, we're getting to the heart of it," Junker said, "to give an animal a nice long life."

Media center employee Jennifer Hill is known for her turkey saving enthusiasm. In fact, she got in trouble for her over aggressive donation requests, Bogdanich said.

"I think that everyone that walks through the [media center] door should pay three dollars to help the turkeys," Hill said.

At first Bogdanich's supervisor teased her about the fundraiser, but eventually he was on board. 

"This year he is all for it," Bogdanich said. "He shows people the pictures of the turkeys from last year."

ACC faculty members are donating to the cause again this year.

"We just got another $50 contribution today from a faculty member," Bogdanich said.

While faculty and staff are helping out, student contributions are sparse.

"Very rarely do we get students unless they see the signs," Bogdanich said.

The new tradition has changed the way some people think of the holiday.

"We think of Thanksgiving now as save a turkey day," Bogdanich said.