Kendall Hazel | Staff Writer

Sunday November 22 Buena Vista University will host the fourth annual Turkey Trot. The event is a 5K in which participants can either walk or jog a course that winds through parts of Storm Lake.

The race encourages participants from all over the area to come dressed in their best costumes and simply have fun. Prizes will be awarded at the end of the race to the best dressed participants. The course has yet to be determined, but it will start and end at the Recreation House south of Lamberti Rec Center.

The Turkey Trot is special to BVU and Storm Lake because it centers on giving back to the community.

Admission into the 5K requires the participants to bring at least one can of non-perishable food. BVU’s ROTC members will then pack up all the cans, bear the weight on their backs, and run them to The Bridge here in Storm Lake. The Bridge then hands out the food to less fortunate families in the area in hopes that they [the families]
will be able to have a Thanksgiving meal.

With the help of ROTC, the event is being conducted by the Adventure Leadership Program Scholars (ALPS). A leader in ALPS Deven Rieck explains that the Turkey Trot is more than just a race:

“The Turkey trot gives ROTC and ALPS the chance to show the community how we can have fun while doing something positive,” Rieck said. “We want to do this to help the less fortunate that can’t really provide Thanksgiving dinner.”

For Rieck and other members of ALPS, it is important to make BVU students aware of all the things ALPS does. ALPS leader Logan Bardwell echoes Rieck:

“We hope to put a positive image out there that the university [BVU] has always been there to help,” Bardwell said.
“We want to get more involved with ALPS and show that we can handle bigger things like the Turkey Trot. It’s an opportunity to let students know who we are.”

The first 15 people to sign up for the Turkey Trot will receive a free long-sleeved T-shirt (must participate to receive the shirt). You can sign up for the event by emailing [email protected]. Shirts can also be purchased for $10 and paid for at the business office. Shirt sizes should be sent to [email protected] by November 16th. Registration
begins at 3:00 PM with the race starting at 3:30 on November 22.

Any questions regarding Turkey Trot can be directed to Brittany Hach.