RUSSELL — A record 260 runners and walkers jogged and strolled through the streets of downtown Russell Thanksgiving morning in the annual Turkey Trot fun run, according to organizer Ruthie Lynd, who cheered them all on from the start and at the finish line.
“It far exceeds what we’ve ever had,” Lynd said after the race. “It just means more food for Helping Hands.”
It was the second record year in a row. The 2008 run drew about 150 runners and walkers.
The run, which started in the 1970s, has always been about fun and food — food to donate, that is.
The entry fee for every participant is a can of food.
In recent years the food has gone to Helping Hands of Greenup County. “It’s awesome that people took time out of their day to share a little hope with others,” said Helping Hands director Scarlet Grubb.
Entire families put on their sweats and assemble downtown for the run. The Dehoff family, for instance, including Michelle Dehoff and her sons Tyler, 20, Drake, 18, Logan, 16 and Madison, 12, all showed up. The Dehoffs brought along their cousin Mitchell, 16, who is visiting from Cleveland.
It’s their first trot, Michelle Dehoff said. The kids came along in part “because she promised to buy us breakfast afterward,” joked Tyler. “It’s a good cause and a good way to start Thanksgiving,” he added.
Lyndsey Burke, 11, ran with her brother Johnathan, 14. Lyndsey runs “so I can eat what I want in the afternoon.”
Johnathan, who was running in the Trot for the first time, said he wants to stay in shape for baseball season.
Tony Carr came along with his family, mainly to watch them because a bum knee kept him from running.
He cheered on his wife Amy, daughter-in-law Leah Carr, son Zak, daughter Krissie Bentley and her husband Nathan.
Being a fun run, finish times don’t count for anything, but that doesn’t keep the serious runners from wanting to know. So for the record, Scott McClain of Louisville was first in the 5K event at 17:58. His girlfriend Kat Alcorn was second overall and the fastest woman at 18:37.
MIKE JAMES can be reached at mjames@dailyindependent.com or at (606) 326-2652.
Local News
Related Photos
-
John Flavell
Discussion
TURKEY TROT: Record turnout for run
- Local News
-
-
Firefighters, city reach settlement on overtime
The city of Ashland has reached an agreement with firefighters involved in a dispute involving overtime wages after an audit by the Kentucky Labor Cabinet.
-
Plea in Greenup love triangle
A Greenup County man on Friday admitted in court that in August 2010 he shot to death a Washington man who’d traveled across the country to be with his former girlfriend.
-
Putnam restoration gets additional $50K
The Putnam Stadium Restoration Foundation got a $50,000 boost from The Woodlands Foundation.
-
Kentucky schools get waiver on No Child Left Behind
Kentucky and nine other states received waivers Thursday from the federal No Child Left Behind Act, in exchange for putting their own improved accountability systems in place.
-
Sweet harmony
Many women all over the world travel miles every week, just to sing with a barbershop chorus.
-
Bankruptcy filings: 2/10/12
Bankruptcy filings in the Eastern District of U.S. Bankruptcy Court include the following:
-
Russell Independent School District
A new gym floor at Russell High School will cost somewhere between $71,000 and $107,000, school board members learned Thursday.
-
Workers reject contract offer
Hourly workers at Marathon Petroleum’s Catlettsburg refinery on Wednesday rejected a contract offer from the company.
-
UW campaign tops $780,000
While the economy of this region continues to struggle, the people of northeastern Kentucky again proved this is a caring and giving area by easily surpassing the ambitious $750,000 for the 2011 campaign of the United Way of Northeast Kentucky.
-
LRC plans to appeal judge’s ruling
The leadership of the General Assembly announced Thursday it plans to appeal Franklin Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd’s ruling that the legislature’s plan to re-draw state legislative boundaries is unconstitutional.
- More Local News Headlines
-
Firefighters, city reach settlement on overtime
Obama Scraps Birth Control Mandate
US Airmen's Killer Sentenced to Life in Germany
Navy Names Ship for Gabrielle Giffords
Raw Video: Deadly Blasts in Syria
Romney Slams President Obama at CPAC
Gingrich: Pres. Obama 'waging War on Religion'
5 Killed in Wrong-way Crash on I-10 in La.
Uzbek Man Pleads Guilty in Plot to Kill Obama
Denver's Largest-Ever Drug Bust Nets Dozens
Marines: No Punishment for Nazi-like Flag
Vets Look to Translate Military Skills Into Jobs
Raw Video: School Bus Burst Into Flames
LA School Reopens Amid Sex Abuse Scandal
$25B Settlement Reached Over Foreclosure Abuses
Pentagon: Allow Women Closer to Front Lines
LA School in Sex Abuse Scandal Reopens
Raw Video: Italy's Mount Etna Bursts Into Life
Greeks March; Angry Despite Debt Deal
Air Force Airlines: Leaders Get Polished Service
Ga Girl Fights Off Kidnapper at Walmart
