There are still a few spots at this year’s trot! Don’t be left out — Click HERE! There are no race day registrations — IT WILL SELL OUT!
The Piedmont Turkey Trot was started as a fundraiser for the Piedmont High School Cross Country Team by then Coach Doyle O’Reagan about 25 years ago. It became successful enough that it now entirely funds both the Track and Field Programs as well as the Cross Country program outside of coach stipends, still the parents responsibility.
In more recent years the proceeds have been enough that we have also been able to donate to the PHS Boosters, the PMS XC/Track teams, the elementary school(s) junior running program and even a small donation to Run Better Oakland. Quite a sizable donation towards the Hampton field project was made as recently as 2020.
This year’s profits will be donated to the PHS XC and Track & Field Teams, PMS XC & Track and Field Teams, The Piedmont Junior Running Program, Run Better Oakland, The Piedmont Service Crew and Piedmont Council Scouts.
Our turkey trot routinely donates more money annually than any neighboring Thanksgiving Day race.
If you have attended any of our races, in the last couple years, you have probably been met with cheery smiles from the Piedmont Service Crew passing out free hot chocolate and coffee. They are a student-led organization that I have had the pleasure of using while raising money for Children’s Hospital Oakland. It was an easy decision to include them on this year’s list of beneficiaries as I believe this is their 4th year of working with us on Thanksgiving morning. They routinely feed a group of Seniors via an Oakland church. (I spent most of my early 20’s,random weekends/holidays in the kitchen at Glide as relief help so feeding people is my jam.)
We have historically given our runners ways to donate locally by offering a children’s and YA BOOK drive at our BIB pick up on Wednesday, November 26th from 3-6pm. Books are donated to The East Bay Children’s Book Project. One of our T-shirt sponsors, Dress Best for Less, collects gently worn clothing items that they resell benefitting Piedmont schools at the pick up too.
Two new events this year
This year we have TWO new events happening at our BIB pick up — and both are designed to feed kids.
- Meet a local runner, Stephen Sidney, who has been using his birthday to raise money for local causes (since 2008 when he raised money for the child shot by a stray bullet at the music school on Pleasant Valley Blvd) This year he will be running 76 laps (19 miles) on Witter’s Track Friday, November 28th for a charity https://tiltify.com/@winter-pine-397/steves-76-laps-19-miles-run-for-feed-the-children.
- We are hosting a food drive that will stock a local high school food pantry. The pantry is less than 2 miles away so these are indeed our neighbors. While they will take ANY non-perishable food items, they also have a WISH LIST, as follows: Maseca (masa harina/corn flour for tortillas); Cooking Oil; Consomme’ powder; Honduran Red Beans; Black Beans; Dried Mexican chilies(pasilla, california, guajillo…); Seasonings: salt, paprika, onion powder, Achiote, Soy Sauce, Oyster Sauce, Black Pepper and Cumin; Sesame Oil; Sesame Seeds; Rice Noodles; Basmati Rice; Long Grain Rice; Bread flour; Yeast.
Here at the Piedmont Turkey Trot we know how lucky we are to have the support of our community, city, neighbors and local businesses. Please help us share the Thanksgiving spirit with those less fortunate.
Thank you.
Sydney, Chris, Lesley, Debra, Susan, and Kevin