Thanksgiving is just a couple weeks away, which means organizers are gearing up for the annual Turkey Trot. The 5K fun run benefits the Ballard Food Bank, and happens on Thanksgiving morning at 9 a.m. The Trot starts at 32nd Ave NW and NW 85th St and ends at Golden Gardens Park. Early registration is $25 and the deadline is Nov. 13.
David O’Neal, Ballard Food Bank Board Member, promoting the Turkey Trot during Halloween in 2011
According to the Ballard Food Bank, over 2,000 people participated last year, raising over $38,000 for the Ballard Food Bank. The Trot was started by a group of Ballard residents; Erin Fortier, Matt Ramme, and JohnO’Brien. “In my family it was a tradition to go for a run on Thanksgiving morning,” said Fortier in a statement. “It was a way to spend time with family on the holidays and feel better about all the food we’d be eating for the rest of the day.” The three ran in the Portland Turkey Trot several years ago and were inspired to start one in Seattle.
“During Thanksgiving, people spend a lot of time thinking about food. We want to raise money for those in our community who are helping the hungry,” says Ramme in the statement. “We chose the Ballard Food Bank because it is a local Ballard non-profit andpeople can connect the run with a nearby organization.”
To learn more about the Seattle Turkey Trot, click here.
