Trotting for Turkeys

After the Halloween costumes and face paint have been put away for another year and the trick-or-treat bags have been emptied, the attention of many turns to the next holiday – Thanksgiving.

With Thanksgiving come thoughts of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, NFL schedules and of course, the traditional Thanksgiving meal. For those who prefer to get active before indulging, Turkey Trot runs are offered in many communities and Door County is no exception.

The only difference is that Door County’s Turkey Trot will kick off the day after Halloween and offer participants a chance to win their Thanksgiving dinner centerpiece – a 10-pound turkey.

The Sevastopol School District, PTO, cross country and track teams, along with the Door County YMCA swim team, are the leading sponsors of the event, which has been around for a dozen years.

“It’s important to be involved in the community and that’s part of our philosophy of our team,” YMCA Aquatics Director Mike McHugh said.

The team also gets involved because many of its swimmers run as part of their training. Funds received by the swim team through the Turkey Trot help purchase equipment and support the national team. The cross country and track teams also benefit from the fundraiser.

PTO President and teacher Lisa Bley has been helping organize the Turkey Trot for the past seven years.

“It’s for our community and it’s for our kids,” Bley said. “It’s a way for our community to come together to make friends, to socialize, to know who your children are hanging with, to become friends with other people you might not have had the opportunity to get to know otherwise.”

Four race divisions will be offered, including the newly added 10k run. There will also be a half-mile, non-competitive fun run (all youth participants will receive a medal), a 1-mile run and a 2-mile run/walk. Gold, silver and bronze medals will be handed out to the winners of the top three female and top three male finishers in each age divisions. Every age group winner will go home with a frozen turkey.

Timing will be done for runners of the 1-mile, 2-mile and 10k runs. Bib numbers for those runners will be scanned during the first hour at the finish line. Last year, nearly 450 runners participated in the Turkey Trot.

“We’re here to promote healthy activity, a healthy lifestyle and a sense of community,” Bley said.

Along with standard race refreshments, runners and spectators can indulge in a bottomless bowl of chili during the 9 am chili cook-off. Bley expects nearly two-dozen pots of chili to be entered in the contest.

The race will wrap up with a 10:45 am award ceremony.

The YMCA will handle registration through noon on Oct. 31, while Sevastopol schools will accept registration from 3 – 5 pm on Oct. 31. Day-of registration will be accepted at the town park from 7:15 – 8:15 am. Registration is $25 for individuals age 10 and younger, and $28 for those age 11 and older.

The Door County Turkey Trot begins at 9:30 am on Saturday, Nov. 1 at Sevastopol Town Park in Institute. For more information visit sevastopol.k12.wi.us, contact Lisa Bley at [email protected], or Mike McHugh at [email protected].