More than 2,500 Vanderbilt University employees enjoyed Turkey Toss, a long-standing holiday tradition and employee appreciation event in which the university expresses thanks to faculty, staff and postdoctoral scholars for their service, on Dec. 16. Turkey Toss was offered as a hybrid experience for the first time in 2022, with employees having the option to celebrate in person at Sarratt Art Gallery or participate in a drive-through event at the Sarratt roundabout.
Nearly 50 volunteers, including Chancellor Daniel Diermeier and other senior leaders, made this year’s 11-hour event possible by helping to distribute turkeys and other gifts. More than 1,400 turkeys were handed out, as well as 90 Tofurky and plant-based dinner options and 800 special swag gift sets. The remaining turkeys were donated directly to Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee.
The in-person experience included festive tables hosted by the University Staff Advisory Council, Vanderbilt Athletics, Campus Dining, various employee affinity groups, Human Resources, Vanderbilt University Public Safety and the Vanderbilt University Bookstore, which provided a special discount for employees at its pop-up store.
Out-of-state employees weren’t left out of this year’s Turkey Toss; departments and divisions had the opportunity to coordinate with Employee Learning and Engagement to pick up special gift items to ship to qualifying remote-work employees.
View more photos from the event:
