USS Nebraska-affiliated groups donate 600 frozen turkeys to CK Food Bank.

Central Kitsap Food Bank Executive Director Hoyt Burrows said he needed 600 frozen turkeys for the holiday season.

And that order was recently filled thanks to a group in another part of the country.

“I’m just kind of speechless and lost for words,” Burrows said Thursday.

USS Nebraska crew members of Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor, USS Nebraska Family Readiness Group (FRG) members and a few folks from the Big Red Sub Club, based in the state of Nebraska, gathered together Thursday afternoon to celebrate the huge food bank donation made by the USS Nebraska FRG and Big Red Sub Club.

USS Nebraska Chief of the Boat (Gold Crew) Robert Butterton told the crowd gathered at the CK Food Bank how the large donation came together. He said the submarine arrived home from sea in early July and by the end of July, USS Nebraska (Gold Crew) FRG member Yolanda Adcock approached him and said the FRG wanted to give back to the local community.

The CK Food Bank was recommended as a possible organization to support, so Adcock contacted Burrows and asked what the food bank needed. Burrows told her 600 frozen turkeys for the holidays would be nice and Adcock got to work.

“We’re talking 600 turkeys, that’s a serious need,” she said.

Butterton pointed the FRG toward the Big Red Sub Club in Nebraska. The Big Red Sub Club supports the USS Nebraska in a variety of ways and Butterton flew to the state to pitch the idea of raising money to buy 600 turkeys.

The Big Red Sub Club accepted the challenge and got to work raising the funds.

“I was excited about it. I knew it was a huge task,” Butterton said. “If you know (the Big Red Sub Club) at all, they never do anything small.”

The Big Red Sub Club and USS Nebraska Gold and Blue Crew FRGs raised $6,200 to purchase 600 frozen turkeys just in time for Thanksgiving.

“That’s $6,200 for 600 turkeys. That equals a very affordable turkey,” Adcock laughed.

Allen Beermann and other Big Red Sub Club members flew to Washington this week to present an oversized check to Burrows and the CK Food Bank.

“It’s really a pleasure to have Mr. Beermann come and make a presentation,” Burrows said.

He said 463 families will receive Thanksgiving baskets and a frozen turkey purchased by the Big Red Sub Club and USS Nebraska FRG. If the CK Food Bank had not received this donation, he said the food bank would have bought the turkeys.

“It would have probably cost us more than $9,000,” Burrows said. “It would have had to come out of our budget.”

Butterton said some USS Nebraska sailors will receive the CK Food Bank Thanksgiving baskets and turkeys, so his own crew members will benefit from the efforts of the Big Red Sub Club and the submarine’s FRG.

“We’ve made it possible for them to have a little bit of turkey on Thanksgiving day,” Beermann said.

Butterton said the Big Red Sub Club is known all over Naval Base Kitsap for being so involved and supportive of the USS Nebraska.

“They’ve been a huge support to us,” he said. “All the boats down there on the waterfront know of the Big Red Sub Club.”

“I think the state of Nebraska really wants to stand out with the USS Nebraska as an ambassador,” Adcock added.

Burrows said he plans to put notes in the Thanksgiving baskets letting families know who bought the turkeys.

“I think that would be kind of fun,” he said.

Burrows said the CK Food Bank still needs 200-250 turkeys for Christmas baskets as well as other holiday foods.

The CK Food Bank is located at 3790 N.W. Anderson Hill Road in Silverdale between Central Kitsap Junior High and Central Kitsap High schools. Monetary donations may be mailed to P.O. Box 748, Silverdale, WA 98383. For more information, contact the food bank at (360) 692-9818.