Central Missouri Chapter of Safari Club International

The Central Missouri Chapter of Safari Club International (SCI) is again sponsoring a Share the Harvest Program in Central Missouri. This program, authorized and supported by the Missouri Department of Conservation, gives deer hunters the opportunity to donate venison that is given to charities serving the needy. "Last year 26,550 pounds of venison was donated through our program and we are thankful for the support hunters give to our program," said Jim Lightsey, president of the SCI Chapter.

All hunters need do is have their deer processed at one of the meat processors in the program and indicate the number of pounds they wish to donote from one pound up to whole deer. Hunters donating whole deer will have the processing costs paid by the Conservation Dederation of Missouri (CFM) at $35 per deer and the Central Missouri Chapter of SCI will pay the remainder until CFM and SCI funds run out. Several local organizations are also helping pay processing costs at several of the processing plants. Hunters not able to donate a whole deer are encouraged to donate a portion of the deer for if those successful hunters in the area donated just five pounds of venison each it would increase the amount for the needy by at least 12,000 pounds. "The most recent data shows that one in nine people in our area are living in households below the poverty level and the 13 charities we serve continue to see an increase in the number of people needing food," said Earl Cannon, coordinator of the program for the Safari Club.

Processors participating in the prgram are the following: Hartman's Custom Meat Processing, New Bloomfield; Russellville Locker, Russellville; R&R Processing, Auxvasse; Crane's Meat Processing, Ashland; Clennin's Meats, California; Swiss Meat & Sausage Co., Hermann and the Mexico Meat Market, LLC, Mexico.