County Toms Get White House Invite
Posted: November 17, 2012
HARRSIONBURG (AP) — Two tom turkeys raised in in Rockingham County have a date with the president.
On Monday, the birds will head to Washington, D.C., where President Barack Obama will pardon one of the toms on Wednesday. Two birds are sent to the White House in the event one falls ill during its trip to Washington from Harrisonburg.
The birds were raised by Craig and Nancy Miller just outside Harrisonburg. Craig Miller said the two toms, each weighing 40 pounds, were raised separately from the 43,000 hens he tends under contract with Cargill Inc.
A motorcade will leave with the two birds at 1:30 p.m. Monday from West Rockingham Ruritan Park.
They’ll spend two nights in the W Hotel before the annual White House ceremony.
Craig Miller calls the honor a “once-in-a-lifetime thing.”
On Monday, the birds will head to Washington, D.C., where President Barack Obama will pardon one of the toms on Wednesday. Two birds are sent to the White House in the event one falls ill during its trip to Washington from Harrisonburg.
The birds were raised by Craig and Nancy Miller just outside Harrisonburg. Craig Miller said the two toms, each weighing 40 pounds, were raised separately from the 43,000 hens he tends under contract with Cargill Inc.
A motorcade will leave with the two birds at 1:30 p.m. Monday from West Rockingham Ruritan Park.
They’ll spend two nights in the W Hotel before the annual White House ceremony.
Craig Miller calls the honor a “once-in-a-lifetime thing.”