Tarentum boy scores big with campaign to bring turkeys to needy families

A Tarentum boy bothered by an unflattering description of hockey players decided to do something to prove them wrong.

Wesley Westerman, 14, plays hockey for Highlands and the Vipers, a youth team in Lower Burrell. He attends cyber school through Highlands Middle School.

He read an article and saw a YouTube clip of “The Social” co-host Jessica Allen describing hockey players as conceited and rude.

Wesley’s mother, Brandy Jones, said that “ticked him off” and inspired him to ask his teammates’ families to donate turkeys for families in need.

He ended up collecting 14 frozen birds and donated them to Allegheny Family Network, a nonprofit that helps parents or caregivers throughout the Alle-Kiski Valley raising children with mental health and/or emotional challenges.

“Most of us try to give back to our communities as much as we can,” Wesley said. “That’s why we’re here donating turkeys to the families that can’t afford them this Thanksgiving. It’s going to help out the community and bring everyone together.”

Jones said they collected the turkeys for about a week. They made the donation Monday.

“I’m really proud of him for wanting to volunteer and do things for the community,” Jones said about her son.

They chose to give the turkeys to Allegheny Family Network because Jones knows some of the volunteers and appreciates their commitment to families.

Network staff and volunteers were so inspired by Wesley’s donation the charity decided to chip in $25 Giant Eagle gift cards with each turkey.

“That’s wonderful. That’s really, really nice,” Allegheny Family Network CEO Ruth Fox said. “We’ll give those to families who let us know they’re in need and they’ll have a nice Thanksgiving.”

Misty Chybrzynski, the network’s community development supervisor, was on hand for the donation at 1600 Pacific Ave. in Harrison.

“We’re grateful that we have people in the community like Wes that can help support the need that we try to address through our organization all the time,” she said. “Having other people pitch in and reach out to our volunteers to get food to families is awesome and unexpected. We’re very grateful that we can pass it on because we know there are families that have that need.”

Jones said her son plans to continue donating turkeys annually.