The 5K Turkey Trot at Hudson River Park’s Pier 46, organized by The New School’s Department of Recreation and Intramural Sports, drew 41 participants on November 17 and raised $600 in funds to support the American Red Cross’ Hurricane Sandy relief efforts and the Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen.
It is not the first time that the department has organized an event around a charitable cause. In March 2010, a 5K run/walk was also held with benefits going to relief efforts in Haiti, which was reeling from a devastating earthquake. Diane Yee, director of the recreation and intramural sports department, said this year’s charitable focus was initiated by The New School’s cross country team.
“The [New School] cross country team is here in full force,” Yee said. “The team came up with the idea for where the [donations] should go this year.”
Attendance has steadily grown since the Turkey Trot’s first installment in 2010.
“There were about 15 people at the first [Turkey Trot], so with that success they decided to make it into an annual thing,” said Justin Li, assistant director of student support and crisis management at the New School.
After the first place male winner, Lang sophomore Dexter Driscoll, ran across the finish line on the day of the run, Yee and Li hurried to restring the banner so that the first place female winner, New School for Social Research graduate student Tamara Alvarez, could break through. New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music student Josh Elkes, winner of the first Turkey Trot in 2010, was this year’s third-place male runner.
In addition to their first place medals, the winners were given the choice between receiving a gift card to Super Runner Shop, a duffel bag, or a water bottle with the Department of Recreation and Intramural Sports logo on it. Many participants received commemorative Turkey Trot shirts.
When asked about the moment he broke through the banner, Driscoll simply replied, “It felt fabulous.”
Charlotte is majoring in Journalism + Design at Eugene Lang College and graduated high school in Bamberg, Germany. Her father is a soldier so she grew up moving around a lot. Outside of her interest in journalism, she is an aspiring novelist & screenplay writer who dabbles in acting. Charlotte loves reading, writing, road trips, red wine, videogames, music, sketch comedy and tennis.
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