18th Annual Tara’s Turkey Trot Brings Community Together Again
A uniquely American national holiday, well known for overconsumption of food, has become the setting the past 18 Novembers for an event that brings dozens of people side by side talking, walking, and running.
Luke Polderman and his girlfriend Aubreyel Spitzer enjoyed a water break at the midpoint of the racecourse near the horse barns on Venturer.
Chilly, breezy weather did not deter well over 100 runners and walkers from participating in the 18th edition of Tara’s Turkey Trot. The annual Fair Oaks Ranch event begins each Thanksgiving Day morning on Fairway Green Drive and winds its way through The Fairways neighborhood and nearby streets.
The idea for a Turkey Trot was born out of conversations in 2006 among several like-minded ladies who enjoyed running oftentimes in preparation for a marathon or other borderline superhuman test of endurance. Someone in the group suggested their efforts should be made into a tradition open to everyone. Tara Bove took up the challenge, and she and her family have been hosting a healthy start to Thanksgiving Day every 4th Thursday in November with a carefully planned 3-mile or 6-mile event that literally starts in the street in front of her home.
It is no surprise the Turkey Trot is scheduled on Thanksgiving since it focuses on family, faith, and community. The first edition of the event featured about a dozen or so friends and neighbors sharing an opportunity to pause, honor God, and truly give thanks. Participants assemble in front of the Bove’s residence about 8 a.m. where she leads the group by reading an inspiring Bible verse. Many out-of-town family members join their relatives as runners, joggers and walkers begin a winding jaunt along carefully selected roads around the Ranch.
Although there is no entry fee, over the years various local ministries have benefitted from voluntary contributions of one kind or another. The past three years the Tara’s Turkey Trot has partnered with the Hill Country Pregnancy Care Center to collect both clothing and monetary donations. Nearly $1,700 and an untold amount of baby clothes and related items were contributed this year.
Besides HCPCC, Scooter’s Coffee was on hand to help fuel many of the early risers, and AudioGeeks ensured that everyone did not, literally, miss a beat. Fair Oaks Emergency Room provided complimentary personal ER travel kits while The Rotary Club of Fair Oaks Ranch chipped in with support volunteers. For more information about this fun-filled community tradition, and all the laughs and camaraderie that go with it, visit the “Tara’s Turkey Trot” Facebook page.