Registration open for Town of Palm Beach United Way's Turkey Trot
It's more than four months away but it's time to gobble, gobble up the opportunity to participate in the annual Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot.
The Town of Palm Beach United Way's 14th annual race will start and end Nov. 24 at Bradley Park.
Since there is a risk of high tides and water along the Lake Trail that morning, the 5K race will begin at 6:45 a.m. instead of the usual 7:30 a.m. The race concludes along the Lake Trail, which is prone to flooding during high tides.
The Drumstick Dash for children 8 years and under is slated to begin at 7:30 a.m.
>> Great to be back: Following a 2020 virtual race, Turkey Trot live again in 2021
While planning for the race, which has sold out over the last few years, the United Way checks tide charts, said Aleese Kopf, United Way director of marketing and communications.
"We have to for race planning purposes. We can’t risk water on the Lake Trail during the event for safety reasons," she stated in an email.
Proceeds from the event, which is limited to 1,400 participants, provide Thanksgiving meals to families across the county. Last year, the Turkey Trot raised $118,328 that was used to provide meals to 4,167 children and adults at 32 nonprofit agencies.
“The Turkey Trot is a holiday tradition for dozens of our donors, and an event that many of our nonprofit partner agencies count on for extra support during the holiday,” said Bill Tiefel, chairman of the agency's board of trustees. “Thanksgiving can be a somber time for families that can’t afford to put food on the table, but proceeds from the Turkey Trot help brighten the holiday for thousands of people who would otherwise go without a warm meal.”
A packet pickup cocktail party is scheduled for 5 p.m. Nov. 16 at the Cox Science Center and Aquarium, 4801 Dreher Trail N., West Palm Beach.
Last year's race was won by Mackenzie Mettille, a 24-year-old Gypsum, Colorado, native who also won in 2019. The 2020 race was held virtually because of the pandemic.
“This tradition is really important to the United Way,” Beth Walton, president and CEO of Palm Beach United Way, said during the 2021 race. “We feed families for Thanksgiving. The more participants we can have, the more people we can feed.”
The event also features children’s activities, raffle prizes and a costume contest.
Registration for the 5K race is $30 per person through Sept. 30 with the price increasing to $50 in October and $100 in November. Registration for the Drumstick Dash is free and limited to 100 registrants. Visit www.palmbeachunitedway.org/turkey-trot to register or call 561-655-1919.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: Thanksgiving Day race to start and end in Palm Beach's Bradley Park
