Turkey Drop charity drive is John DeBella's pride and joy

This year's was scheduled for Tuesday morning. Listeners were invited to donate turkeys for needy citizens via City Team Ministries at seven Giant Food and three Panera Bread outlets in Pennsylvania and South Jersey.

According to DeBella, his involvement with the charity drive was not premeditated, nor was it inspired by the infamous Thanksgiving episode of the TV comedy "WKRP in Cincinnati," in which live turkeys, which can't fly, were dropped from a helicopter.

"In 1984, there was an ad in the Inquirer for City Team Ministries and how $25 could feed 10 people," he explained. "I thought, 'I could do that.' I sent in the check, and then wondered if there was anything I could do for them."

He reached out. City Team Ministries suggested he encourage his listeners to donate turkeys. "About 85 turkeys showed up" the first year, he recalled. The next year, 300.

"The last three years, in four hours time, we've collected over 10,000 turkeys each year."

- Chuck Darrow