A-LISTS community by randy hope
LONG BEACH THANKSGIVING DAY
TURKEY
TRADITIONS WITH A TWIST!
TROT: T-DAY
For many people Thanksgiving is a tradition- filled holiday that often involves stuffing a turkey, then one’s face with large amounts of food. In the “super-sized” America of today, the original meaning of paying thanks with the harvest celebration is often lost. However, what is often gained from those excess calories is a layer of fat that Southern Californians cannot justify as a necessity in our nearly year-round outdoor climate. Long Beach’s self-proclaimed inspiration officer, Justin
Rudd, challenges his neighbors near and far to join in a “Turkey Day” tradition with a twist and asking, “Why not run off those extra calories BEFORE filling up on Thanksgiv- ing fixins?” That is the idea behind the Long Beach Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot—a 5K/10K Run/Walk and a Long Beach tradition, started by the community activist nearly a decade ago. “Before you stuff your
face at a family feast, run or walk for the team—the Community Action Team (CAT),” Rudd recently posted on Facebook. “The exercise will do your body good and entry fees go to help others right here in our community. So do it,” he says encouraging everyone to get involved. “I want to help folks find something new and excit- ing to do and experience. That’s why I formed my charitable organization and named it the CAT— a name that I feel encompasses all the varied activities and events that I have (and will
continue to) organized for the good of our community,” Rudd said in a letter about the about the organizations the Turkey Trot benefits. The main purpose of the Community Action Team (CAT)
is to promote social well-being among the general public. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation governed by a board of directors, contributions to CAT are tax deductible and are used to help produce quality events within the local community to benefit children, animals and the environ-
Don’t run? Don’t stay home! It’s free to throw the chicken in the Chicken Chucking Champion- ship. Before and after the Turkey Trot, participants will take turns hurling a rubber chicken across the beach. Besides taking home a two and a half foot rubber chicken trophy, the Chicken Chucking Champion’s fling will determine the amount of the check to be written by organizers to a local food bank — $2 for every foot the farthest fowl flies. This free-to-enter contest takes place near the finish line — between the indoor and outdoor pool, on the beach.
ment. “I am a firm believer in the collective power of individu-
als joined in a spirit of goodwill and generous giving to bring about the success of a community,” Rudd says. Since arriving in Long Beach in 1996 the Arkansas native
and Stanford graduate has dedicated his life for the good of the city. For several years he juggled a part-time public relations job, was a substitute school teacher, cleaned offices and restrooms, mowed lawns, taught group fitness classes at gyms, taught weekend beach boot camp classes, coached pageant contestants, organized and coordinated one successful community event after another. In 2001, Rudd bid farewell to his PR job and began his philanthropic endeavors full-time, now devoting all of his time to doing good for the greater society. In addition to raising money for youth, animal and
environmental organizations, he raises money for breast cancer, HIV/AIDS, the Long Beach Public Libraries and or- ganizes a list of events to long to print here—ranging from Easter basket drives and spelling bees to beauty pageants for women and dogs alike. “I am a firm believer in the collective power of individuals
joined in a spirit of goodwill and generous giving to bring about the success of a community,” Rudd states about his philosophy, which continues to bring success to his many endeavors and leads some community leaders to refer to him as the “unofficial ombudsman of Belmont Shore.” Such a record of success, undoubtedly sets the Ninth
Annual Thanksgiving Turkey Trot up to attract waves of people to the Long Beach boardwalk, where more than 6,000 participants are expected to participate in the fun- filled—and healthy—tradition. The course includes half-mile, 5K and 10K routes and
features events for adults, kids and even non-runners, with the start and finish line at the Belmont Pool in Belmont Shore, just two blocks east of the Belmont Pier. There will be four start times this year to stagger the participants in the Thanksgiving 5K/10K on Thanksgiving morning. Run- ners may start the 5K at 7 a.m. All others (walk/run, 5K or 10K) can start at 7:30, 8:30 and/or 9:30 a.m. Entry fee for the Turkey Trot is $35, with proceeds ben- efitting the CAT. Each race will take off on time, so leave plenty of time to get ready and to the start line. Also keep in mind that state law forbids dogs on the Turkey Trot course (beach bike path). In addition to the main run, there will be a Half-Mile Kids
Wingding Fun Run at 8:10 a.m. The entry fee for the kids run is $20 before Wednesday, November 23 or $35 thereafter and includes an event t-shirt (not guaranteed for late reg- istrants). Parents are welcome to run alongside their child and the top-three girls and boys, 12 and under, in the Kids’ Run will receive an award certificate. Everyone who comes down to the Turkey Trot is encour-
aged to bring canned good donations to be collected the day of the race for the local food bank.
For more information or to register, visit
turkeytrot.us
14
RAGE monthly | NOVEMBER 2011
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