Tracy Lawrence Helps Fry 1,600 Turkeys To Serve 25,000 Thanksgiving Meals To People In Need
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Tracy Lawrence Hosts 19th Annual Mission:Possible Turkey Fry
Country music legend Tracy Lawrence has hosted a turkey fry every year since 2006 to provide Thanksgiving turkeys to people in need. Lawrence’s charity, Mission:Possible, hosts the event.
The organization’s website describes the turkey fry’s origins:
“…Tracy Lawrence and a few friends decided to buy some fryers and turkeys, gather in a parking lot, and head out to homeless camps to ensure that everyone had a hot meal. What started as a small, grassroots effort has since grown into a major annual event, with the mission of feeding those in need in Nashville and beyond.”
Since then, the Turkey Fry has grown to include a benefit concert featuring performers such as Luke Combs, Lainey Wilson, Tim McGraw, and Lawrence himself. This year’s lineup included Russell Dickerson, Meghan Patrick, and Halfway to Hazard.
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The Turkey Fry partners with local organizations in Middle Tennessee and receives support from dozens of sponsors and hundreds of volunteers.
“When we first started with just a few turkeys, I never imagined we’d be frying more than a dozen, let alone raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for the cause,” Lawrence said about how much the event has grown since 2006.
The event has grown so much that it had to switch locations. This year’s Turkey Fry was held on Tuesday, November 26, at the Nashville Fairgrounds. This move gave Mission:Possible the chance to help other counties in the surrounding area.
Mission:Possible Helps Provide 25,000 Thanksgiving Meals
For 2024, Mission:Possible aimed to fry 1,500 turkeys for those in need. They far surpassed that goal and ended up frying 1,600 turkeys. They also donated an additional 1,500 turkeys to the local community.
The turkeys take about 40 minutes to cook in the deep fryers. Once they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit, they’re wrapped up, placed in warmers, and sent to their final destinations.
Furthermore, Lawrence and the volunteers prepared enough turkeys and side dishes to help provide 25,000 Thanksgiving meals.
“I think Nashville’s such a great city, it has such a giving heart [and] so many people that love to give back,” the “Alibis” singer told FOX Nashville on the morning of the Turkey Fry. “…this is just one of the great operations that [is] in this town.”
Watch Lawrence speak more about this year’s Turkey Fry in the videos below. Hats off to him and all the volunteers who made this year’s Turkey Fry such a success!
If you’d like to help support future Turkey Fry events, you can make a donation to Lawrence’s Mission:Possible on their official website. Lawrence also sells his own marinades, with a portion of the proceeds going toward helping Nashville’s homeless community.
@rfdtv Ever wondered what it takes to fry 1,500 turkeys? @Tracy Lawrence is making it happen with his Mission:Possible Turkey Fry #friedturkey #thanksgiving #nonprofit #tracylawrence #givingback #givethanks #turkey ♬ original sound – RFD-TV
