Don King Keeps His Promise For Turkey Giveaway
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – There's good news for thousands of South Floridians in need who came away empty-handed last week in Don King's turkey away.
The boxing promoter announced Tuesday that his delayed turkey giveaway will take place on Thursday.
"You will have your turkeys on Thursday," he announced at a Deerfield Beach news conference on Tuesday.
It's the announcement nearly 3,000 needy people were waiting to hear.
Last Friday, a truck loaded with Christmas turkeys to be donated by King was hijacked.
King's spokesman Robert Weneck said the truck full of 2,000 turkeys bound for South Florida went missing over night. The truck was found abandoned near Pompano Beach sometime Friday morning, according to Weneck.
King said he's not quiet sure what happened.
"(There were) various stories, but the only true story that came about was that there was no turkeys," he said.
While the turkeys were still inside, the fowl had to be discarded because nobody was sure whether they'd been temperature-controlled and safe to eat.
Don King, a resident of Delray Beach, has been giving away turkeys at Christmas time for about 50 years.
It may seem like a small gesture – giving out free turkey, but this year – it's more important than ever before.
"I think that this is a time that we need to help each other because we're down in the economy and everything," Teresa Rose said. "So you should lend a hand if you can."
Rose and her family just picked up a free turkey Tuesday from a neighborhood church group. She said her family is grateful for the helping hand and the kindness of others.
"People should do that," Rose's boyfriend,Anthony Rattray, said. "You know, give hand, look out for people because it always come back to you. One way or another the money always come back to you, the food comes back to you. Even make your heart feel better."
It's that spirit of giving that King is trying to spread, and he's hoping his passion for good deeds is contagious.
"This gesture here is just something I've been doing, it's something that everybody should start doing, look around and touch their neighbor because we are in a major crisis," King said.
Turkeys will be distributed Thursday in West Palm Beach, Deerfield Beach, North Miami and Miami. Specific locations will be released on Wednesday.
