Sign up now for annual Jon Callaghan Memorial Turkey Trot
Submitted by the village of Gurnee
The Gurnee Police and Fire departments are announcing the 29th annual Jon Callaghan Memorial Turkey Trot, which will be held at 8 a.m. Thanksgiving morning, Nov. 23.
The 5K fun run/walk starts on the 4600 block of Old Grand Avenue and ends in front of Gurnee Fire Station 1 on Old Grand Avenue. Refreshments are provided after the fun run on the west side of Gurnee Community Church.
In the fall of 1993, the first Turkey Trot was organized as a 5K run to be held on Thanksgiving morning. Turkey Trot runners were asked to make a $10 donation to the Gurnee Community Church to help fund their holiday dinner for the needy and Great Lakes military personnel. The event was sponsored by the Gurnee Police Department.
About a dozen runners participated in that first event. The Turkey Trot continued each year and participation increased.
Jon Callaghan was a student at the now River Trail (O'Plaine) School in Gurnee, who passed away in 1997, after a courageous battle with neuroblastoma cancer. The event was then renamed the Jon Callaghan Memorial Turkey Trot, and his parents, Mike and Kim Callaghan, became involved with the annual event.
Per the Callaghan family, the funds raised have been used to help the Warren Township Food Pantry, University of Chicago Comer Children's Hospital, School District 56 special needs programs and many others.
Each year, proceeds are also donated to the Gurnee Community Church.
This year, some of the proceeds will also be used to help a Woodland Middle School student who is fighting cancer.
Any donations to the Turkey Trot are appreciated. Make checks payable to the Gurnee Turkey Trot and mail to Gurnee Turkey Trot, 325 N. O'Plaine Road, Gurnee, IL 60031.
Advance registration is accepted until Nov. 22. Anyone wishing to participate may register for $30 (free for ages 10 and younger) or register on race day at Gurnee Fire Station 1, 4580 Old Grand Ave., or at gurneeturkeytrot2023.eventbrite.com.
Long sleeve T-shirts will be available to the first 350 participants to check in on race day. Check in starts at 7 a.m.
For information, contact Commander Willie Meyer at wmeyer@police.gurnee.il.us or (847) 599-7000.
For information, visit gurneeturkeytrot.org.