By DAVID DUPONT
BG Independent News
The forecast for this morning was cloudy with a 100% chance of turkeys.
Turkeys, at least the foam stress-relieving species, tumbled from the sky this morning at the Wood County Museum for the second Turkey Drop fundraiser.
A couple dozen people were on hand to watch two loads of foam turkeys as they dropped from two drones courtesy of Toledo Aerial Media. Most were hoping a bird with their number would fall on or near enough to one of the two bull’s eyes.
Having two targets with two sets of prizes was one of the changes for the event. Also, in addition to the cash prizes of $1,000, $750, and $500 for each target, there were a half dozen frozen turkeys — no, not dropping from the sky — given away, and four museum swag bags also distributed to winners.
The top prize winners were: Gaynelle Predmore and Carla Carter. Snagging the $750 prizes were Chris Woodyard and Donna Trautman, and the $500 winners were Kristen Hoskins and Emily Derr.
Derr was the only cash prize winner on hand. She told Clint Corpe, the morning voice of Bowling Green who was broadcasting from the event, that she was uncertain of how she’d spend the money.
She was certain, though, about her appreciation for the museum and how it tells the story of Wood County.
The winners of the frozen turkeys were Sandy Gill, Elliot MacFarlane aka Dave Donley, Lori Polcyn, Tina Venis, Sue Smith, and Clint Corpe.
This was a return to the winner’s circle for MacFarlane’s family. His wife, Karen Wood, won the top prize in last year’s inaugural turkey drop.
Sue Smith said the turkeys for her family’s Thanksgiving feast have already been purchased, so she expects she will donate her gift turkey to the food pantry through her church.
“We love the museum,” she said.
Corpe himself won a frozen turkey.
The fundraiser is inspired by a 1978 episode of the sitcom”WKRP in Cincinnati.” In the show, live turkeys are dropped from a helicopter onto the shopping plaza parking lot.
The museum sold 193 foam turkey, raising $9,650.
Proceeds go to the Wood County Historical Society to help support educational programs, future exhibits, and collections management.
