The Auburn community is coming together to burn some calories and help others in the community before feasting on their Thanksgiving meals this year.
The 6th annual Turkey Trot is coming up Nov. 27 at the Moore's Mill Club in Auburn. Sydnee Cleveland, founder and director of the Turkey Trot, started the event five years ago.
"I love to run and so many towns have a great Thanksgiving run and Auburn was lacking that," Sydnee said. "A friend of mine said, 'You should start it,' and so I did."
The run or walk takes place on the Moore's Mill golf course on the cart paths. Runners and walkers can choose to take the three-mile or one-mile route.
"It's a beautiful run on the golf course," Sydnee said. "We run the back nine, there's no traffic and there's a great fireplace before and after the race."
The staff at Moore's Mill Club and volunteers help to set up the premises for the run.
"We build a big fire in the fireplace at the pavilion, and we set up registration tables, and we provide drinks, coffee and juice, and snacks, bagels and things like that," said Billy Cleveland, owner of Moore's Mill Club. "The day that the event is held it's held early in the morning on Thanksgiving morning and everyone's in a festive mood and ready to burn some calories."
All of the proceeds raised by the run are given to the Food Bank of East Alabama. Sydnee said they also accept donations because they keep the cost of the run fairly low so all families can afford to participate in the run.
Cans of food can be donated directly to the food bank, but monetary donations can be donated at the run that morning.
"It was just sort of a good fit with Thanksgiving morning with hunger and with a huge focus on feasting," Sydnee said. "There's so many in our community who are still hungry."
Sydnee said the event has grown over the years, but attendance sometimes depends on whether the Iron Bowl is at Auburn or at the University of Alabama.
Occasionally participants dress up in costumes as Indians or pilgrims, but it is optional.
The event is also timed.
"The run is fairly serious, I guess, you know as far as the runners take it a little more serious than the walkers obviously," said Greg Kebe, general manager of Moore's Mill Club. "Last year was so cold and we still had 500 people here."
The event starts at 8 a.m., and Kebe said it's usually over by approximately 9:30 a.m., so people still have time to cook their Thanksgiving meals.
"It's become people's way to start their Thanksgiving as a family," Kebe said. "They probably don't even question it anymore as to what they're doing on Thanksgiving. It's the way they start their Thanksgiving every year, it's pretty cool."
Participants can register at the event.
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