In a small Texas town, a simple lunch stop led to a powerful mission of faith and service. When Nancy Riley picked up a copy of “Christian Bowhunter Magazine” at Bumdoodlers Lunch Company in Kerrville, she discovered a ministry that connected hunting with helping the hungry. That moment sparked a partnership between the West Kerr Noon Rotary Club, the Christian Bowhunters of Texas, and Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry (FHFH) — a collaboration that has since provided thousands of pounds of nutritious venison to those in need, feeding both body and soul throughout the community.  Here is Nancy’s story:

In the fall of 2020, we were waiting in Line at Bumdoodlers Lunch Company in Kerrville for my lunch. Looking on the counter as I waited to order there was a Christian Bowhunter Magazine. It had a picture of a hunter on the front page with a deer that had been harvested with a bow. I decided to take a copy home to give to my brother. He had hunted with a bow in the past and I thought he might like to read the magazine.

After skimming through the magazine, as we waited for our food, we learned about The Christian Bowhunters of Texas and The Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry and what they do. We thought that maybe the West Kerr Noon Rotary Club that we belonged to might be interested in being a part of what they were doing. FHFH was donating thousands of pounds of venison to feed the hungry through local food pantries. While talkng with Danny Bezet, the local FHFH coordinator, he explained how local hunters can drop off harvested deer to Bernhard’s Meat Market and that they would cover the cost of the processing at no cost to the hunter. After comparing notes of the service projects we both do, we decided to try and fill the gap in the areas of need that were being overlooked.

God is good all the time. Within a short period we donated 128 lbs. of venison. That was our first donation. It was given to the Kerr County Vet Center. That was the beginning of a great relationship of getting the venison out to the areas of need in our local area. The following week we were able to donate 140 lbs. of venison to the Doyle Community.

Our West Kerr Noon Rotary Club has been able to give to several organizations the venison that we receive from FHFH and CBT. Including The Light on the Hill, The Christian Women’s Job Corp, Hunt Methodist Church, Hill Country Veterans Center, The Croc Center, Kerrville and Ingram Fire departments to name a few. We have been blessed to donate 5,668 lbs. of venison here locally through the efforts of the Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry and The Christian Bowhunters of Texas. Each package of meat has the word of God on it in

Spanish and English, so the body gets what it needs through the venison and the word of God feeds the soul. Through our joined efforts we are blessed to feed the body and soul here in our local area.  Thank you and God bless.  God is still working – keep the faith!  – Nancy Riley