This year's Turkey Trot 5K to start 45 minutes earlier, but will help more people
Attention, Turkey Trot racers.
Those competing will have to get up pretty early this year; but on the bright side, runners will be helping to feed 818 more people than they did from proceeds from last year's event.
In an effort to outrun Mother Nature, the Town of Palm Beach United Way's 14th annual Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot has been moved to 6:45 a.m., 45 minutes earlier than the usual 7:30 a.m. start. The 5K race, which begins and ends at Bradley Park, is run along several island streets, including the Lake Trail, which is prone to flooding during high tide.
More: About 1,400 attend first live Turkey Trot since pandemic
More: Virtual Turkey Trot feeds more than 4,000
More: Town of Palm Beach United Way's Holiday Toy Drive runs today through Dec. 4
That morning, there is a risk of high tides and water along the Lake Trail, United Way officials learned while checking tide charts. Aleese Kopf, the United Way's director of marketing and communications, said safety concerns led the charity to move up the event to the earlier time, she said.
But 7:30 a.m. will not go by without a race. The Drumstick Dash, for children 8 and younger, will begin at the park at that time.
Proceeds from the sold-out event, which is limited to 1,400 participants, provide Thanksgiving meals to families across the county. Funds raised from this year's race will provide meals for 4,985 individuals at 19 nonprofit agencies, according to the United Way.
Last year, the Turkey Trot raised $118,328, which was used to provide meals to 4,167 children and adults at 32 nonprofit agencies.
Last year's race was won by Mackenzie Mettille, a 24-year-old Gypsum, Colo., native who also won in 2019. The 2020 race was held virtually because of the pandemic.
For more information, visit www.palmbeachunitedway.org/turkey-trot or call 561-655-1919.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: Turkey Trot to feed almost 5,000 as it gets underway 45 minutes early
