Governor’s One Shot Committee members have presented a check to the Mountaineer Food Bank, representing $65,000 raised during the eighth annual Governor’s One Shot Deer Hunt held Oct. 24-26, 2014. The money will go toward expenses associated with the Hunters Helping the Hungry Program (HHH), administered by the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, to distribute venison to needy families across the state through the Mountaineer Food Bank. The check was presented Dec. 10 at the Food Bank’s headquarters in Gassaway, Braxton County.
The Governor’s One Shot event is sponsored by WVDNR and the Governor’s One Shot Committee, which organizes the event each year. Committee members also were in attendance at the ceremony. Carla Nardella, director of the Mountaineer Food Bank, accepted the check with thanks to everyone who contributed to the Governor’s One Shot.
Private individuals and businesses donate money for the opportunity to participate in guided antlerless deer hunts on private property near Stonewall Resort State Park. The event wraps up with an auction and an award banquet. All venison from the hunt, along with profits from the sponsorships, goes to the Mountaineer Food Bank.
The first event in 2007 raised $17,000, the second in 2008 raised $35,000, the third in 2009 raised $50,000, the fourth in 2010 raised $75,000, the fifth in 2011 raised $75,000; the sixth in 2012 raised $70,000, and the seventh in 2013 raised $65,000.
The HHH program allows hunters to donate legally harvested deer to certified processors so the meat can be distributed to a network of more than 550 local soup kitchens, food pantries, shelters, senior centers, missions, churches and community centers around the state.
The HHH program has been highly successful since it began in 1992, providing more than a million family style meals to the neediest of West Virginians. However, the program also requires cash donations to pay for processing and distribution costs to benefit these needy individuals. More information about the HHH program is available at wvdnr.gov/Hunting/HHH.shtm.
