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Sen. O’Mara: Deer Season Starts This Saturday

November 15, 2017

STEUBEN COUNTY, NY – State Senator Tom O’Mara sent out a statement, reminding area residents that deer season starts this Saturday and goes until December 10th. See full statement below:

Elmira, N.Y., November 14—State Senator Tom O’Mara (R,C,I-Big Flats) today
said that the opening of this year’s regular deer hunting season this
Saturday, November 18, means that it’s also time for the annual reminder on
one of this region’s most effective charitable organizations: the Venison
Donation Coalition.

This year’s regular deer hunting season in the Southern Zone runs from
November 18 to December 10.

“For nearly two decades now, the Venison Donation Coalition has helped put
a good, highly nutritious meal on millions of needy tables throughout the
Southern Tier and Finger Lakes regions, and across New York State. It’s a
homegrown foundation supported by sportsmen’s organizations, of course, but
also by corporations, local farm bureaus, government agencies, civic and
religious groups, and individual citizens,” said O’Mara, chairman of the
Senate Environmental Conservation Committee. “I’m always grateful for this
annual opportunity to call attention to its work. In government,
particularly in an era like the current one defined by limited resources to
address seemingly infinite demands, we’re always searching for ways to
encourage individual citizens and organizations to contribute to the
overall quality of our communities, in this case by helping to feed the
hungry. Our region has certainly answered the call and the generosity has
been overwhelming.”

Since 1999, the Bath-based Coalition has coordinated the processing of an
average of 38 tons of venison annually and provided over 4 million highly
nutritious, low-fat, high-protein servings to individuals and children in
need. Today the Venison Donation Coalition has 85 processors in 52 counties
and is always looking for additional processors to participate. The venison
donation program is now a broad-based partnership that includes a range of
area supporters, including the Food Bank of the Southern Tier. It has
facilitated the donation of venison to food banks, food pantries, soup
kitchens and additional not-for-profit organizations and charities.

O’Mara noted that deer hunting is a mainstay of the regional and statewide
recreational economy, by some estimates accounting for $2 billion of
economic activity and nearly 30,000 jobs statewide. Steuben County, for
example, remains one of the Northeast’s premiere deer hunting destinations.

As the Coalition highlights on its website, a $1 donation can help provide
four meals. For every dollar donated, in fact, the Coalition dedicates 90
cents towards processing donated venison.

For more information on donating deer, becoming a participating processor,
and other ways to help the Coalition, visit the Venison Donation Coalition
website at http://www.venisondonation.com, or call, toll-free,
1-866-862-3337.


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