CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. — When traffic slows on Charter Colony Parkway near Old Hundred Road in Chesterfield County, it might not be the light — it could be Gary, Chesterfield's famous turkey. Gary has become a local celebrity around Brandermill, known for strutting along the roadside, stopping traffic, and even perching atop light posts.
"Gary basically owns our intersection. We just live in his neighborhood," Caroline Everett, said. "[He] is very aggressive over here. If Gary wants to get across the highway he's going to."
Everett, who created a Gary fan page on Nextdoor, said Gary's morning routines have become a neighborhood talking point.
"This morning he was right in front of Sugar Shack. Right over here. Not sure if he was going to get Sugar Shack donuts or if he was headed to the Flying Pig," Everett said.
Rebecca Garber, who created a Gary Facebook fan page, said the turkey's personality is hard to ignore.
"He likes to play, I guess, turkey in front of cars instead of playing chicken," Garber said.
Gary's Facebook page has gained thousands of followers, some from as far away as Denmark.
"What better way to bring a community together than this funny little turkey," Garber said. "It's neat to see people outside of Midlothian that love this turkey. We've seen pictures of him bringing joy to a patient who's going to get treatment at the hospital."
Business owners in the area say seeing him is the highlight of their drive to work.
"I saw him walking down the middle of the road and everyone just stopped for him and he created a ton of traffic," Courtlynn Malone, Native Sun Tanning employee said.
She says Gary's internet fame has even brought a few extra customers through their doors.
And if you think you've missed him on your visit, look up, Gary has been known to take to the skies.
"The first time he was on the light post was pretty amazing. A couple people said 'I didn't know turkey's could fly,'" Everett said.
Garber reached out to the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources about Gary. An official says they have checked on him a few times and that moving him is actually riskier than letting him stay put.
So for now, Gary remains in Brandermill, strutting through traffic and building his fan base. Not long after CBS 6's visit to see Gary, Sugar Shack Donuts announced they are selling Gary donuts for a limited time only at their Charter Colony location.
If you spot Gary, remember: don't feed him, and while snapping a photo is fun to share, keep your eyes on the road.
CBS 6 is committed to sharing community voices on this important topic. Email your thoughts to the CBS 6 Newsroom.
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