Governor And First Lady Present Donation To Hunters Helping The Hungry; Deer Harvested At One Shot Hunt Helps Needy Families 

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The governor and first lady today presented a $35,000 check to the Hunters Helping the Hungry (HHH) program. These funds were made possible by the proceeds, including entry fees, sales of banquet tickets, raffles and generous donations from corporations and businesses, from the second annual Governor’s One Shot Whitetail Hunt.

The money will be used to help offset the program’s costs of processing and distributing the venison, donated by generous hunters, to food pantries, soup kitchens, and needy families across the state. West Virginia native Brigadier Gen. Charles E. “Chuck” Yeager, U.S.A.F., Ret., was the guest of honor for a second year. He joined 23 other participants who made up the 12 teams in the hunt.

“The annual One Shot allows individuals to help those in need, while also having fun and enjoying the sport of hunting,” said Gov. Joe Manchin. “This event truly showcases our state’s great whitetail deer hunting opportunities, but also the good will of our people. I am very proud that this December’s hunt was more successful than the first one, and I look forward to this year’s event.”

The 2007 One Shot event produced $17,000 for the HHH program, and the 2008 hunt, which was held in central West Virginia Dec. 7-8, 2008, more than doubled that amount. The hunt was for antlerless deer only, and the deer harvested at the event were donated to the HHH program, with the meat distributed to needy families across the state by the Mountaineer Food Bank in Gassaway and the Huntington Food Bank.

“DNR is restricted from using sportsmen’s license dollars to fund this program, and is completely dependent upon donations by generous individuals, businesses, conservation organizations, foundations, and churches, as well as the One Shot Whitetail Hunt,” said DNR Director Frank Jezioro. “Without these contributions, we simply could not continue the HHH Program, and we thank all those who helped.”

The 2008 season marked the 17th consecutive year that the Division of Natural Resources has sponsored the HHH program, which provides thousands of pounds of donated venison to hungry West Virginians each year. More information about HHH can be found at www.wvdnr.gov <http://www.wvdnr.gov/>  or by calling 304-558-2771.

Feeding programs from the state’s 55 counties can receive venison. For more information about the distribution, please contact the Mountaineer Food Bank at 304-364-5518.

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