Time to start stocking up on turkey to help those in need throughout Greater Moncton.

The Sue Stultz and Moncton Firefighters Association Turkey Drive returns for its 25th year.

Sue Stultz said it is hard to believe the annual fundraiser has been going on for a quarter-century.

“It means a lot to us and it means a lot to the people in the Greater Moncton area that each person who registers with the food bank has a turkey on Christmas Day,” Stultz said in an interview.

The Christmas tradition moved to a three-day drive-thru format during the pandemic to help reduce the risk of spreading the virus.

Stultz said they have decided to do the same once again this year.

“We need to be very careful, we have a lot of flu and that out there right now,” she said. “It works very well.”

The goal this year is to collect 3,907 turkeys, a significant increase from last year’s goal of 3,312.

“I believe in the people of the Greater Moncton area and I believe that we will do it,” she said.

Donors can drop the birds off behind the St. George Boulevard fire station this Wednesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. On the final day, the drive-thru will open at 6 a.m.

You can also make a donation online through the turkey drive’s website. Every $40 will count toward one turkey on the tally.

“From what we understand, the price of turkeys are going to be the same price as what they were on Thanksgiving, which was around $2.49 a pound, so we have to put the price per turkey up to $40,” said Stultz.

Since the turkey drive began, more than 93,400 turkeys worth $2 million have been donated.