Sue Stultz, a former Progressive Conservative MLA for Moncton West and the woman behind a turkey drive that fed thousands of Monctonians each Christmas, died on Monday. She was 71.
Stultz, a former community organizer, started the annual turkey drive in the early 1990s.
“Most of my mom’s life was just honestly a life of service,” her daughter Mandi Groslouis said on Tuesday.
Groslouis said that the turkey drive started when Stultz owned an Irving Mainway convenience store located in downtown Moncton on Saint George Boulevard.
A customer who was vacationing in Florida over the holidays asked Stultz if she could make sure the turkey he had already purchased would be delivered to the food bank.
“One thing led to another,” Groslouis said, saying the director of the food bank told Stultz there was a greater need for turkeys at Christmas.
“It just sort of ballooned from there,” Groslouis said.
The turkey drive has since become a joint effort with the Moncton Firefighters Association.
Each year, they donate thousands of turkeys to families in need.
Groslouis said the firefighters plan on continuing the annual turkey drive in Stultz’ honour.
After her retirement, Stultz served as MLA for Moncton West under David Alward’s Progressive Conservative government.
She served as minister of social development and government services from 2010 to 2012.
Stultz won multiple accolades for the turkey drive and other charity efforts, such as the Order of Moncton, the Governor General’s Caring Canadian Award and the International YMCA Peace Medal, among others.
Groslouis said her mom always gave credit to the community for her fundraising efforts.
“She would always correct somebody when they’d say, ‘You’re doing such great work here,'” Groslouis said. “She’d correct that person and say that it’s the community coming together to do it.
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