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Limpy the turkey posthumously raises thousands for charity

READING, Mass. — A beloved turkey who became the unofficial mascot for the town of Reading has posthumously raised thousands of dollars for charity, in the weeks since he was killed while playing in traffic.

Limpy, as residents affectionately called him because of his wobbly gait, had racked up more than 5,000 fans on a Facebook page dedicated to him. A citation from the governor recognized Limpy for the “joy and amazement” he brought to town.

The bossy bird was often seen weaving between cars and tying up traffic as onlookers snapped pictures and recorded videos of their encounters. The brazen bird was known to ride on top of mail trucks and chase delivery trucks.

But on New Year’s Day, the quirky turkey was struck by a car and killed.

Residents who learned of the accident on social media flocked to the scene. Parker Middle School art teacher Amy Ropple, an animal lover, was determined to give Limpy a dignified ending.

“We stood around and tried to make a decision about what to do,” Ropple said. “The DPW dumpster probably was not a very nice alternative for him, a nice ending. So I called a friend of mine, and he brought a blanket, and we wrapped him up and brought him to be cremated.”

Since his death, residents held a fundraiser at local bar and restaurant, Bunratty Tavern, in Limpy’s name, with 20 % of food sales on Thursday from 6 to 9 p.m., donated to the Reading Food Pantry.

Online donations, including those raised by Keri Goldman, founder of Paws 4 a Cure, contributed to a total of more than $5,700 for the food pantry, which provides for 150 families in need.

“He may be gone physically, but he’s not gone from our lives,” Goldman said. “He’s still a presence here. His presence will not go away. We will continue to do what we have to do in his memory to make sure our residents get what they need.”

Ropple’s students drew pictures of Limpy in an art show. She is currently working on a children’s book about the precocious bird, the future sales of which will go toward a bronze sculpture she and other Limpy fans hope will one day memorialize him in a public space in town.

Residents haven’t yet gotten the town’s approval for the sculpture. But by Monday night, more than $400 had been raised for the memorial on a GoFundMe page: https://www.gofundme.com/f/limpy-memorial-sculpture.