From turkey trots to turkey dinners, how Thanksgiving was celebrated in the suburbs

For many in the suburbs, Thanksgiving Day was time spent inside sharing food and fellowship among family and friends. So, too, was the spirit of the day evident to those on their way to Grandma's house.

With some perhaps still recovering from a Wednesday night out, football fields and parks played impromptu host to "turkey bowls" - the reunion gatherings of friends trying to relive their younger days on the gridiron. Later, they could gather around TVs to watch the professionals.

Runners, some donning costumes as pilgrims and turkeys, also got up early for turkey trots, like at Harper College in Palatine, where the park district hosted its 38th annual trot. Children 10 and younger ran a 100-yard "drumstick dash."

In Naperville, finish lines have become a familiar landing spot for Colin Mickow. The 28-year-old winner of last month's Healthy Driven Naperville Half Marathon also was the first person to cross the finish line at the Naperville Noon Lions Club's 21st annual Turkey Trot 5K, with a time under 15 minutes Thursday morning.

"It was a good run," he said. "I'm pretty happy with it."

Mickow was one of 7,500 runners and walkers to participate in the event that raises money for vision and hearing care and diabetes support.

"It's a great cause and it's become a family tradition for us," Naperville resident Melanie Steele said. "Everyone runs or walks, then we meet up at our place, clean up and chow down."

Hundreds of sailors from Great Lakes Naval Station spent the day at VFWs, churches and even private homes across the suburbs as part of the annual Adopt-A-Sailor program. It's a day of respite for the young military personnel, some still recruits in Navy boot camp, and others who are in specialty schools at Great Lakes.

And for the 15th year, Culver's of Lake Zurich owner Steve Anichini opened his restaurant's doors for a free Thanksgiving dinner, with the help of about 100 volunteers from five local churches. Nearly 500 people were served meals of turkey with all the fixings, prepared ahead of time by members of the congregations.

That included one anonymous donor who prepared and dropped off 30 of the 43 turkeys sliced up and served at the Lake Zurich restaurant.

Anichini hosted 50 people for the first dinner in 2003, after he says he saw the needs of the less fortunate at a local PADS shelter. But the event has grown every year and is open to anyone and everyone, including some who may not have a place to go on Thanksgiving.

"It wasn't just a need," Anichini said. "It's also people who don't want to eat alone."

In Elgin, more than 1,000 community members came together for the 10th annual community dinner organized by Jeff Turner, president of Dream Foods, which includes In the Neighborhood Deli & Cafe inside Gail Borden Public Library. Turner and a group of volunteers organize the dinner at First United Methodist Church, 216 E. Highland Ave.

In addition to 1,000 pounds of turkey donated by Food for Friends, a Chicago-based Christian ministry, Turner also served about 600 pounds of potatoes, 300 pounds of sweet potatoes, 25 pans of green bean casserole and 25 pans of stuffing.

He said the community donated enough to make the $3,000 goal to fund the meal and all remaining donations will fund future dinners, including the Christmas Day meal that will also include "to-go boxes" for homeless community members who are unable to attend the dinner.

"It's Thanksgiving so we talk about community and how a community is people in an area who share a common cause," Turner said. "I feel our area is bigger than just Elgin, and the cause we should share is kindness, compassion and love. That's my definition of community."