URGENT: Relocation Demand for "Gravy" the Turkey
Demand a "Safe Zone" Relocation Today
Concern has been registered, but the RI DEM is still following a rigid protocol that puts Gravy in harm's way. We need you to flood their offices with common sense. Tell the Middletown Town Council and the DEM that parents, police, and residents shouldn't have to worry about an avoidable accident.Gravy to a "Safe Zone" immediately before a predictable—and avoidable—tragedy occurs.
Respectfully,
Carolyn Hanigan
Gravy For Mayor
Turn Advocacy into Action: Support Wildlife Rehab
Gravy’s recovery was made possible by the tireless work of Congress of the Birds. We have already raised $500 for their mission, but the fight for Rhode Island’s avian wildlife never ends. We are increasing our donation to $10 per t-shirt for Congress of the Birds. Help us support the experts who give birds like Gravy a second chance at life.had the pleasure of knowing him. For Gravy, this isn't just a move; it's a matter of life and death.
Know the Facts: Why "Release Where Found" is a Death Sentence
Gravy isn’t just any turkey—he is a habituated bird who has lost his natural fear of vehicles. Releasing him onto East Main Road ignores the reality of his behavior and the danger of that intersection. Since his release on March 16, he has already been spotted chasing cars again.
Newport This Week
Talking Tough Turkey
Middletown, R.I. – My name is James Hanigan, I’m 11 years old, and I live in Middletown. Last fall, right after Thanksgiving, my mom and I were in the car at the church parking lot on Valley Road and Green End Avenue and Gravy The Turkey strutted right up to our window. He was gobbling, posing like a superstar, and craning his neck to say hello. That day I thought, “This turkey should be mayor!” So I wrote an essay called “Gravy for Mayor” for the Aquidneck Island Land Trust contest—and it got an Honorable Mention!
Gravy The Turkey (that’s his name now—everyone calls him that) became a local legend. He made people smile, stopped traffic (the good kind), and showed us all how fun and resilient a wild turkey can be.
Then, on January 30, something really scary happened: Gravy got hit by a car. He was hurt bad—swelling, scrapes, and some eye stuff—but he’s the toughest turkey in Rhode Island! He’s recovering at Congress of the Birds wildlife rehab center, and he’s already walking around and being goofy again.
That’s why we started gravyformayor.com with the slogan “And Yet I Persist – Gravy for Mayor.” Because Gravy got knocked down… but he got right back up! AND we are campaigning that he comes back to Middletown RI far away from any busy intersections.
Now we’re turning his comeback into something bigger: helping OTHER hurt birds! Every t-shirt you buy on the website sends $5 straight to Congress of the Birds. That money buys medicine, food, and safe places so more birds can heal and fly free again. Birds are awesome—they fly, sing, and make our world better. Gravy’s showing us we can all persist and help each other. So far, we have sold shirts to fans on Aquidneck Island, in three different time zones, and a diplomat in another country!
Middletown is full of kind people who love animals and our community. If you see someone wearing a “Gravy for Mayor” shirt strutting around like a turkey, that’s us supporting wildlife! Go to gravyformayor.com, grab some gear, snap a pic, and tag @GravyForMayor on Instagram.
Let’s make Gravy proud and help a whole flock of birds. We have a goal to five $2,500 to Congress of the Birds.
Gravy says (well, he gobbles): “And yet I persist… gobble gobble!” Let’s keep the good vibes going in Middletown!
Thanks for reading,
James Hanigan
Middletown, RI
Congress of the Birds, Chepachet RI
Gravy, the feathered fighter, is healing at Congress Of The Birds
Gravy, the feathered fighter, is healing at Congress Of The Birds
Gravy, the feathered fighter, is healing at Congress Of The Birds
Hit strutting his stuff at Green End & Valley Road - Gravy the Turkey was rushed to Congress of the Birds, a wildlife rehabilitation in Chepachet, RI. He sustained periocular swelling around his eyes and road rash to his body.
Gravy is plumpin' up awful-awful on mealworms
Gravy, the feathered fighter, is healing at Congress Of The Birds
Gravy, the feathered fighter, is healing at Congress Of The Birds
Gravy The Turkey is now gobbling mealworms wicked quick, plumpin' up awful awful style at Congress of the Birds in Gloucester, RI. No more street static, this bird's feasting and recovering safely, no foolin'!
WJAR Channel 10 Scoop: DEM's hatching a plan for Gravy
Gravy, the feathered fighter, is healing at Congress Of The Birds
WJAR Channel 10 Scoop: DEM's hatching a plan for Gravy
WJAR Channel 10 reported a plan is hatchin' to bring Gravy back to a safe environment. In solidarity, "And Yet I Persist - Gravy For Mayor" fundraiser will help to flock him back to his crew.
Aquidneck Land Trust "Gravy For Mayor" Honorable Mention Aw
Submitted by James Hanigan (11) resident Middletown, RI
Today I was riding home from school with my mom and guess what I saw? Gravy the turkey! I know you are thinking, of course you saw that turkey who causes traffic problems at the intersection of Green End and Valley Road. But today was different. It was the day after Thanksgiving. Gravy the turkey was still alive and had not ended up on someone's Thanksgiving table, squished between stuffing and mashed potatoes, covered in gravy. Gravy the turkey was alive and walking around, greeting people as if he was the mayor of Middletown.
We pulled the car over into a small parking lot and guess what happened? Gravy the turkey ran right to our car. My mom rolled down her window and Gravy the turkey craned his neck up and jerked his head back and forth. Then he ran quickly back to the intersection to continue playing his game.
My mom and I stop to see Gravy the turkey quite often. We stop. We park. We get out of the car. One day, we followed him up Green End to discover three smaller male turkeys. A neighbor on Green End confirmed those were his kids. Can you believe it? Gravy the turkey has a family!
Gravy the turkey is enormous. He's got this big red floppy balloon thing under his chin and then a super long beard of feathers. The rest of his body is black and white like a superhero cape.
Gravy the turkey's favorite game ever is stopping all the cars. He runs toward the cars until they get stopped at the red light. Then he goes to the very first car really fast and then BAM he just stands sturdy right in front of a car. Once that car goes HONK HONK HONK and nudges the car toward him, Gravy the turkey moves down the center of the road to the next car. And this happens again and again as if he is playing tag. When the light turns and the cars leave, he waits on the side of the road for another red light. Then he repeats the game all over again.
Nobody has ever squished Gravy the turkey because everyone loves him too much. He has his own Instagram page with over 5,000 followers and his own Roblox account. In September, we watched a Middletown police car drive on the grass and car push Gravy the turkey the length of three houses, then drove away without an arrest. During October, kids dressed up as Gravy the turkey and went trick-or-treating. Before Thanksgiving, I saw some stores in Newport with signs that said "Have a Gravy Thanksgiving." Even the news has declared the intersection of Green End and Valley Road in Middletown as Gravy the turkey's turf. And sometimes when my mom is late picking me up from school, she says she was held up by none other than Gravy the turkey.
If someone hurt Gravy the turkey they would be in big trouble and everybody on the island would be very mad. Gravy the turkey makes people smile and slow down. When I see him in the road, I don't think about homework or being tired or being hungry. I only think nobody better hit this turkey.
Next time you find Gravy the turkey waddling up to your car, give him a honk. Give him a nudge.
The honks are like cheers. The nudges are like hugs. And he loves it. And when it comes time to vote again, consider writing in Gravy the Turkey for mayor.