The Calgary Stampeders held a turkey drive for the Airdrie Food Bank this past Saturday at McMahon Stadium.

In years past former Stampeder coach Corey Mace would host an annual turkey drive for the Airdrie Food Bank but ever since he left Calgary to coach for Toronto and is now the Head Coach of the Saskatchewan Roughriders, the annual turkey drive got left behind.

As of this year, Stampeders alumni  Pee Wee Smith said he will be picking the fundraiser back up and will be back next year to make it even better.

"Over the last couple of years we haven't really done much, we've been looking for somebody to take that over and this year, Pee Wee Smith stepped up just a couple of days before the event," stated Christine Taylor, Event, Marketing and Communications Manager for the Airdrie Food Bank.

With it being Smith's first turkey drive, they had a good turnout fundraising 178 pounds, 30 turkeys which is about $2,000 worth of food.

It's safe to say it might take some time to build this turkey drive back up to the one Mace used to have but Taylor is excited to see what next year's has to offer.

"I think our last event with Corey brought in over $40,000 worth of funds and turkeys."

Current Stampeders Rene Paredes and Tre Roberson helped out with the turkey drive this year. Taylor mentioned she believes there were quite a few donations online and she thinks one of the owners of the Stamps donated as well.

"We're really, really excited that Pee Wee signed on this year and has said that we will do it even bigger and better next year with more time to plan."

Today, the RCMP, Municipal Enforcement and the Airdrie Fire Department will be hosting a Charity Check Stop for the Airdrie Food Bank at Genesis Place from 3-6 p.m.

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