Hostetler’s turkey giveaway planned for next week

Greg Hostetler is a believer in “random acts of kindness.”

It’s something his wife, Cathie, practiced before she died in 2010.

In the 1980s, Cathie Hostetler decided around Thanksgiving she wanted to help those in need in Los Banos. So she took a pickup truck to the grocery store, filled it with turkeys, and parked along the side of the road handing them out for free. Every year afterward, the Hostetlers donated a handful of turkeys during the holidays.

Since his wife’s death, Greg Hostetler has paid honor to her by building the turkey giveaway to a much larger scale. For the past four years, Hostetler, owner of Hostetler Ranches, has given away at least 500 turkeys in Merced and in Los Banos every year. Along with a turkey comes a bag of almonds from Hostetler Ranches and a block of cheese from Joseph Farms.

“As my company has been reasonably successful, I think I have the responsibility to give back to the community,” Hostetler said.

Food 4 Less gives Hostetler a good price for the turkeys, and about 40 volunteers work to load them, unwrap them and hand them out on the day of the event. People line up at dawn hoping to get a turkey. The giveaways have provided a holiday meal to thousands of families over the years.

The families of Joseph Farms, the Gallo family and Jelacich family, have donated cheese regularly since their father’s cheese-processing plant opened in 1982. The family of Mike Gallo, who is the CEO of Joseph Farms, considers the Hostetlers close family friends. They volunteer for the event in Cathie Hostetler’s honor, said Lori Gallo, Mike’s wife.

“Cathie was a very hardworking woman that knew what it was like to work hard and also give back,” Gallo said. “Those are the kinds of values we also share in our family.”

Gallo described her as a “lovely lady with a beautiful spirit. She was probably one of the kindest women I have ever met.”

Greg Hostetler said being able to give back simply makes him feel good.

“It’s quite moving, when they’re in line and the look in their eyes is so thankful,” he said. “It’s amazing what one turkey can do for some people. They’re truly gracious.”

The Merced giveaway will be at 1 p.m. Monday at the Merced Fairgrounds grandstand. One turkey will be given per household on a first come, first served basis. The Los Banos giveaway will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday at the O’Banion Pavilion at the Los Banos Fairgrounds. For more information, email hostetlerturkeys@gmail.com.

This story was originally published November 18, 2015 at 5:56 PM with the headline "Hostetler’s turkey giveaway planned for next week."