Joe Manchin III, Governor

Frank Jezioro , Director

News Release : September 27, 2005

Hoy Murphy, Public Information Officer (304) 558-3380 hoymurphy@wvdnr.gov

Contact: Marshall Snedegar, Wildlife Resources Section (304) 558-2771 wildlife@wvdnr.gov

Dollars and Deer Donations Needed for Hunters Helping the Hungry

            The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources' "Hunters Helping the Hungry" program (HHH) will be accepting donations of deer from hunters during the first week of the 2005 bow season, 12-day buck (and concurrent antlerless season), 6-day traditional antlerless, and 6-day muzzleloader seasons, according to Frank Jezioro , Director of the Division of Natural Resources.

            "Since its inception in 1992, HHH has provided nearly 500,000 pounds of venison to hungry West Virginians ," Jezioro said. "There are many people involved in this project, but participation by hunters, meat processors, and generous donations from caring businesses, organizations, and private individuals are the keys to its success and to feeding West Virginia 's hungry."

            Successful hunters who want to donate meat can take their deer to the nearest participating meat processor. The processor will skin the deer, debone and grind the meat, then freeze it in two-pound packages and hold it for pick-up by the Mountaineer Food Bank or the Huntington Area Food Bank, both members of America 's Second Harvest, the national network of food banks. The food banks then distribute the ground venison to the needy through their network of qualified charitable agencies. Posters announcing the program and brochures listing name, address, and telephone number of participating processors are available at all checking stations and DNR Offices or by visiting the DNR Web site at www.wvdnr.gov .

Meat Processors participating in the program are:

• Barbour County : B&L Beef, Belington; Rice's Meat Sales & Service, Volga
• Cabell County : Rolfe's Custom and Commercial Meat Processing, Inc, Milton; Nelson's Custom Processing, Milton
• Gilmer County : The Bargain Barn, Glenville
• Greenbrier County : Bika's Slaughterhouse, Dawson
• Hardy County : Crites Slaughter House, Moorefield
• Harrison County : Hyde 's Meat Packing, Enterprise ; Young & Stout, Inc., Bridgeport
• Kanawha County : S&J Custom Meat Cutting, Charleston
• Lewis County : Cole's Custom Butchering, Jane Lew
• Marshall County : Yoho's Slaughterhouse, Cameron
• Mason County : West Virginia Custom Cuts., LLC, New Haven
• Mercer County : Taylor 's Meat Cutting, Spanishburg
• Mineral County : Country Seasons Flying W Farms, Burlington
• Raleigh County : Peerless Meat Distributors, Beckley
• Randolph County : Cole's Meat Processing, Elkins; Teets Meat Packing, Elkins
• Upshur County : Rock Cave IGA, Rock Cave ; Waugh's Custom Cutting, Buckhannon
• Wood County : Pioneer Meat Processing, Inc., Waverly

            "Again, only with the generous donations from caring businesses, organizations, and individuals has this program been able to successfully fulfill it's mission and place a balanced, healthy meal before West Virginia's less fortunate," Jezioro said. "Program planners estimate that more than 2,500 deer will be donated this year. Costs are expected to exceed $110,000 and public contributions are urgently needed."

            Anyone interested in making a tax deductible donation should contact the WVDNR at (304) 558-2771 or send a check to: Hunters Helping the Hungry, WVDNR Wildlife Resources Section, Capitol Complex, Bldg. 3, Charleston , WV 25305 . For more information about Hunters Helping the Hungry, please contact Marshall Snedegar of the Wildlife Resources Section of DNR at (304) 558-3380 or wildlife@wvdnr.gov

**DNR**