Kim Fundingsland/MDN Terry Clayton helps unload frozen turkeys destined for distribution through the Lord’s Cupboard Food Pantry of Minot. Clayton, owner of the Ranchman 23 Steakhouse at New Town, donated 443 of the birds and other trimmings to the pantry.

As a result of a very generous donation, several boxes of frozen turkeys were being unloaded at the Lord’s Cupboard Food Pantry in Minot Wednesday morning. All of the turkeys will be distributed to food pantry clients in time for the Thanksgiving holiday.

“I’ve always been one that tries to see that every child and family has a turkey dinner,” said Terry Clayton. “I’ve always contributed, my entire life.”

Clayton, owner of Ranchman 23 Steakhouse in New Town, donated Thanksgiving turkeys to the Lord’s Cupboard Food Pantry a year ago, but this year he stunned pantry volunteers when he told them he’d like to donate entire dinners. A lot of them.

“He said he had 443 birds and all the trimmings,” said Linda Randolph, Lord’s Cupboard. “I was in tears. The generosity was just awesome. Unbelievable.”

“I’ve always done this personally, no matter what town I’ve been at,” said Clayton.

Clayton said a big donation was needed in Minot where the Lord’s Cupboard serves about 730 families a month. Most of the families have children under 16 years of age. He added that Ranger Oilfield Services of New Town assisted with the dinner donation of turkeys, cranberries, green beans, mashed potatoes and gravy.

“He’s humble. He doesn’t want all the notoriety but the community needs to know,” remarked Randolph.

In addition to the donation of Thanksgiving dinners to the Lord’s Cupboard, Clayton also serves Thanksgiving dinners at the Ranchman 23, free to “anybody that’s out there, away from home, oil workers and such.”

The reach of the Lord’s Cupboard has been growing for several years. In October alone the pantry distributed over 60,000 pounds of food.

“That brought the total for the year upwards of 600,000 pounds of food that has come out of this pantry,” said Connie Wilson, Lord’s Cupboard.