An annual Capital Region tradition is just a week away.
Mayor Carmella Mantello says time is running out to sign up for the annual Turkey Trot, a 5- and 10-k race along Troy’s waterfront Thanksgiving Day.
The first-term Republican says the event, which raises money for the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York and Joseph’s House, is especially important this year.
“It's a tough time of year for a lot of families and a lot of folks who aren't afforded a Thanksgiving dinner. We know that the homeless rates, not just here in Troy, but throughout the Capital Region, throughout the state, nationally, continues to rise. So we have to do whatever we can,” Mantello said.
Last year’s Trot raised more than $22,000 for both organizations.
Event Director George Regan says this year’s race seems likely to break records. It features a new course for the 5k along River Street.
Organizers got into the spirit Wednesday alongside Uncle Sam and race mascot Trotter the turkey.
“We're going to have a record field; we're tracking a thousand runners ahead of where we were last year, and they're coming in at 150 to 200 a day,” Regan said.
Regan says the forecast looks to be sunny with temperatures in the 40s, what he calls perfect running weather.
Amy LaFountain is Executive Director of Joseph’s House and Shelter, a homeless outreach organization based in Troy.
“Over the past few years, we have not only seen an increase in the amount of our neighbors coming in to us for services, but an increase in the intensity of mental health symptoms, an increase in the impact and effects of illicit drugs, and increasing challenges in finding reliable funding sources to ensure our programming and staff can keep up with it all,” LaFountain said.
LaFountain says Rensselaer County has about 100 unhoused families, and Joseph’s House serves about 10 people a day.
Tom Nardacci, CEO of the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York, adds his organization is seeing ongoing impacts of the COVID pandemic.
“Within one year, we went from 30 million pounds of food to 55 million pounds of food with no new staff. You know, just our staff doing more and more- and the need hasn't come back down,” Nardacci said.
To help combat that, Nardacci says the Food Bank will be distributing food for 30,000 people across the Capital Region Saturday.
“We’ll be in Troy; we'll be at the Sixth Avenue parking lot. The city's graciously allowed us to use that lot. We'll be there Saturday, and then we'll be at Hudson Valley Community College too, as well as other sites around the Capital Region in six counties,” Nardacci said.
In addition to the main races, the Turkey Trot features a grade school mile, a walk, and virtual 5 and 10K races.
