I typically take part in the Piedmont Turkey Trot every Thanksgiving, but this year I chose to sit it out so I could save my energy for a special challenge: completing 76 laps—19 miles total—at the Witter Field track. Each lap represented a year of my life, and the run served as the centerpiece of a fundraiser I organized in partnership with Feed the Children, a respected 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers essential food support to undernourished kids across the U.S. and around the world.
I undertook this effort because I became frustrated by recent federal actions aimed at cutting food aid programs. Internationally, this included elimination of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and domestically it involved reductions to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). My goal with this run was to spotlight the widespread and preventable issue of childhood malnutrition and help counteract the impact of these funding cuts by contributing to an organization that helps fill the gap.
I began running at 7 a.m. on the day after Thanksgiving and wrapped up just before 1 p.m., taking breaks after every 10-lap segment. Several running friends joined me at different points, so I was never alone on the track—a tremendous psychological boost. Although this distance once took me under two hours back when I was much younger and not slowed by peripheral neuropathy, I am deeply thankful that I was still able to complete it.
I am happy to share that the fundraiser has already raised more than $11,000, surpassing the original $10,000 goal, and I am truly grateful for the generous support of donors, many of whom are fellow Piedmont community members.
Fundraising is still open. If you’d like to support the cause, you can visit my Feed the Children donation page at Tiltify – Steve’s 76 laps (19 miles) Run for Feed the Children. Every contribution is tax-deductible.
Thank you for your support. Your generosity will provide critical nutrition to children who are facing hunger both across the United States and around the globe.