by: Adison Poole
It’s that time of year again.
Every year the city of Greensburg hosts a 5k race known as the Turkey Trot as a way of kicking off Thanksgiving morning. At 9am that morning runners and walkers report to the Courthouse to begin the race.
“I like it a lot,” junior Ksena Spencer said. “With my cross country season being over, it was a nice run for me to do not being fully in shape.”
GS community members running in the 2018 Turkey Trot.
Photo courtesy: Mrs. Gloria Rehak
Several students at GS participate in the race themselves. Registration for the race is open to people of all ages. Younger kids ages 13 and under can run the race for $15 versus the average adult price of $25 a person.
“I know the shirts do cost money, but it’s mainly for fun,” Spencer said. “The Turkey Trot is a tradition for many in our community.”
The Turkey Trot was an event originally created by five friends; they created a non-profit called Westmoreland Community Sharing to develop the race. It also supports several other non-profits throughout the Greensburg community.
“I enjoy being able to see so many different people participating, whether it’s handing out water to runners, running the actual 5k or encouraging others to keep going,” she said. “The event itself is a lot of positive energy, which is key to start off a holiday such as Thanksgiving.”
Anyone can participate in the event even if they don’t necessarily want to run the race. While the Trot is considered a race, runners have the choice of running or walking it casually.
“I liked walking it last year,” sophomore Natalia Hardaway said. “I did it with family and friends and it made three miles feel like practically nothing.”
The race has been held on the morning of Thanksgiving for the past 30 years. Students at GS have said how much they enjoy the race and that they plan on participating in it for years to come.
“I loved it so much last year,” Hardaway said. “I want to make it an annual thing.”
The Turkey Trot is not the only way students at GS are getting ready to celebrate the holidays, though. Students and teachers have expressed their excitement for the upcoming break.
“I love the break from school because it’s well deserved at that time,” math teacher Mrs. Beth Horchak said. “I love spending time with my family; it’s one of the few times we can all get together like that.”
Thanksgiving break this year will stretch from the 23rd of November to the 27th, allowing students and teachers time to spend with family and friends for the holidays. This break is just the beginning of the holiday season with Christmas break just a month after it.
“I think we’re at the point where we’ve been in school so long and everyone just needs to hit that reset button,’’ Mrs. Horchak said. “As soon as kids come back, though, they’ll be counting down the days to Christmas, so it doesn’t really ever settle down till after.’’
Thanksgiving and all the activities surrounding it are just around the corner. Spencer is getting ready to spend the holidays celebrating her favorite traditions with her family.
“My family and I always prepare a classic Thanksgiving meal,’’ she said. “We have a tradition of always making a pecan pie with a perfected recipe from my mom.”
Students and teachers at GS are just days away from break and Spencer has said, “you can feel the excitement” throughout the school.
“I know I’m excited,” Horchak laughed. “I think every teacher is counting down the days at this point.”
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