Turkey Ride For Human Needs Food Pantry

Jill Corrigan, a very dedicated cyclist in Verona, has let us know that Montclair Bikery will hold another “Turkey Ride” on Sunday, November 23, to collect turkeys for the Human Needs Food Pantry.

Cyclists will meet at Montclair Bikery, 145 Valley Road, at 9:30 a.m. and ride a flat, 15-mile circuitous route to the Brookdale ShopRite on Broad Street in Bloomfield, where they will buy frozen turkeys, and deliver them (by bike) to the Human Needs Food Pantry in Montclair. The Human Needs Food Pantry distributes over 600 turkeys and all the fixings for a Thanksgiving feast to their clients during the week of November 24.

Last year, 75 cyclists braved arctic cold temperatures and bought and donated 175 turkeys to the Human Needs Food Pantry. This year, the Montclair Bikery is hoping to double both those numbers. “That’s a tremendous help to us,” says Mike Bruno, the Pantry’s executive director of the Human Needs Food Pantry. “It’s a little bit tense, hoping we’re going to have enough turkeys to supply everybody. I don’t want to tell anybody here, ‘Sorry, I don’t have a turkey for you.’ The Pantry is expected to give out 600 to 700 turkeys this year, to families in Montclair, Glen Ridge, Bloomfield and Verona.

“It’s always inspiring to me to see so many people who are willing to give of themselves and share in such a fun event. That helps motivate us to give back to this great community,” says Dave Adornato, owner of Montclair Bikery.

If you can’t ride on November 23, you can still help out the Human Needs Food Pantry by making a contribution for turkeys at the Montclair Bikery. Partners For Health, a charity that covers Montclair-area towns including Verona, will match all donations made between now and November 23.

Interested participants should register via email at [email protected] or in person at the store prior to the ride. Riders may also sign up the day of the ride. All riders must be 18 years or older and are asked to bring $20 to buy the turkey, which is being discounted by Brookdale ShopRite. Cyclists may buy additional turkeys and these will be transported to the Pantry as well.

The Montclair Bikery is grateful for the following sponsors who are helping to underwrite the event: Amanti Vino, Athletic Genius, Berkshire Hathaway Home Services/Sharon Gill, Central Engineering & Supply Co., Corneal Associates of NJ, Egans, Partners for Health, Sandler O’Neill & Partners, ShopRite and Thomas Direct.