L.I. Charity Starting Push For Holiday Donations

NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- A Long Island charity is starting its push for holiday donations with a turkey drive Friday in Bethpage.

Anyone who brings a turkey to the Bethpage Federal Credit Union branch on South Oyster Bay Road will get free Islander tickets and a chance to win a behind the scenes tour of the "Martha Stewart Show."

Islanders mascot "Sparky the Dragon" and former New York Ranger Nick Fotiu will be at the drive.

Island Harvest is hoping to collect 34,000 turkeys by the end of the year. It's an ambitious goal since the most they've ever collected in a single season is 11,000.

"We're optimistic but a little concerned," Randi Shubin Dresner, president of Island Harvest, told 1010 WINS. "We feel a very serious responsibility to help people in need."

If you can't make it to Friday's event, you can also drop off turkeys or any canned food at any Panera Bread of 7-11 store on Long Island.

"We hope to collect eight million pounds of food by the end of the year," Dresner said. "This turkey season is a key time for us to collect turkeys, canned foods and other non-perishables so we could really help the community."

For information on other ways to donate, click here.