4-Her Adalyn Miller of Oakwood raised a small flock of turkeys to donate to the Caring and Sharing Food Pantry in May.
Adalyn Miller, 12, set an excellent example this spring by following the old adage, “When you have more than you need, build a longer table, not a higher fence.” And she did exactly that.
In February, the Oakwood teen learned that the Paulding County 4-H poultry projects had been canceled for 2025 due to avian influenza, a decision made by the OSU Extension Office and the Senior and Junior Fair Boards.
Adalyn, on the other hand, decided to raise her turkeys and add more to her flock from other 4-Hers. She intended to donate them to the Caring & Sharing Food Pantry in Paulding.
“There were a lot of turkeys that were just going to go to waste,” Adalyn joked. Her school and family had previously donated food to the Paulding County pantry, so she wanted the turkeys to go there.
She worked hard and did a lot of chores to care for the birds. At the same time, she was raising two dairy beef feeders, Fred and Buckeye Pete, for the Paulding County Fair, which begins on June 7.
The turkeys were donated, and the pantry received enough meat to feed more than 30 households.
“This was a special gift,” stated Jodi Schneider, executive director of the pantry. “Adalyn looked after these animals until they were ready for us. We greatly appreciate her generous donation of both hours and food.”
The Caring & Sharing Food Pantry helps Paulding County residents who are food insecure. Eligible Paulding County residents can visit the pantry twice a month and receive three days’ worth of food. During the first five months of 2025, the pantry served 1,305 households, a 30% increase over the same period in 2024.
Food is donated to the pantry by individuals, organizations, and growers throughout the county, as well as through food drives, bulk purchases from a variety of resources, and a partnership with West Ohio Food Bank. If you want to donate food or money to the pantry, please call (419) 399-9562 or email [email protected].
