14th Annual Turkey Trot draws 1,500 to Bradley Park in Palm Beach
More than 1,500 people started their Thanksgiving morning early by participating in the 14th Annual Turkey Trot race at Bradley Park.
Atticus Stonestrom, 23, of Palm Beach, was the first to cross the finish line and first overall male finisher with a time of 16:56.1. Calli Reid, 15, of Lake Worth, placed first overall for females finishing in 21:36.6.
The top three men and women finishers in 10 age divisions also won trophies, and all participants who crossed the finish line received a Turkey Trot medal.
Related coverage: Town of Palm Beach United Way's Holiday Toy Drive runs today through Dec. 4
Read more: Palm Beach United Way Hurricane Ian fund tops $1M; nets $125,000 in new matching grants
Proceeds from the 5K race, which began at 6:45 a.m., provided meals for 4,894 children and adults.
Boynton Beach residents Jennifer Kraatz, 49, dressed as a turkey, and Violet Kraatz, 12, dressed as a Native American, won the Costume Contest. They received a catered event for 25 guests courtesy of Island Kitchen Catering.
The event also featured a Kids Drumstick Dash, raffle drawing, children’s activities, photography, music and refreshments.
“We are thrilled so many families were able to join us this Thanksgiving morning, even though we started the race a little earlier,” said Cara Coniglio McClure, who co-chaired the race with her husband, Jared McClure.
“Thanksgiving is about family, community and charity. The Turkey Trot embodies all of that. It has been an honor to chair this event for the last 14 years. Our family treasures this tradition and the community fellowship. We thank all of our sponsors and supporters from the bottom of our hearts for making this year’s race a huge success,” she said.
“The Turkey Trot is a very special event for our community,” said Mayor Danielle Moore, a vice chairman of the Town of Palm Beach United Way who announced the start of the race. “It benefits people in need in Palm Beach County, and it’s just a fun event that families in Palm Beach have come to look forward to every Thanksgiving. There’s no better way to start the holiday.”
The United Way gave race proceeds to 19 nonprofit agencies so they could provide meals for their clients. Some agencies hosted in-person events and others prepared to-go meal baskets.
One agency, Take Stock in Children, provided 100 meals to underserved students and their families by preparing meal boxes featuring turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans, gravy, cranberry sauce, rolls, mutter, milk and pies.
“The holiday season is a special time of year, but it also provides a challenge to families battling food insecurities,” said Nancy Stellway, executive director of Take Stock in Children. “We are very grateful to the Town of Palm Beach United Way and their supporters for providing meals to families in need. Seeing our families smile knowing they will enjoy a Thanksgiving dinner brings joy to our hearts.”
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: Palm Beach United Way's 14th Annual Turkey Trot draws 1,500
