For many Mahomet residents, spending time with family on Thanksgiving Day is more than watching football and stuffing turkey and dressing into their faces.
In Mahomet, moms, dads, siblings, aunts, uncles and grandparents also gather on Thanksgiving morning for the Mahomet Parks and Recreation Department Turkey Trot.
While the event began as a few families getting together for a stroll on Thanksgiving morning, the Turkey Trot quickly grew into something a few organizers could not handle on their own.
With a growing number of participants and non-perishable donations to Mahomet Helping Hands, the organizers handed the event over to the Mahomet Parks and Recreation Department.
MPRD Director Dan Waldinger said he intends to keep the morning and event simple. The $10 registration proceeds go directly towards donations to Mahomet Helping Hands and scholarships for children to participate in Mahomet Parks and Recreation programs.
Participants are still encouraged to bring a non-perishable food item for Mahomet Helping Hands. Donations from local sponsors also go directly towards Helping Hands and MPRD scholarships.
Like the original organizers, Waldinger wants to keep the Turkey Trot as organic as possible. While there are a few stop watches located near the end of the 5K, runners are not chipped or officially timed.
The 2017 Turkey Trot is scheduled for Thanksgiving Day on November 23 at 8 a.m.
Registration for the Turkey Trot is now open both in-person at the MPRD office at 218 S Lake of the Woods Rd. and online. Registrations before November 14 will receive a t-shirt the day of the event.
Registrations will still be taken up to the start of the event, but late registrations will not receive a t-shirt.
