I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving Day and weekend. It was certainly nice to be able to gather with a few more family members than was possible last year, and to reacquaint ourselves with what it is that makes this time of year so special (for me, that includes avoiding stores as much as possible!).
For all of us at the Y, this Thanksgiving morning was especially glorious as nearly 13,000 people streamed out of their homes to kick off the holiday season in style at one of the six Y Turkey Trots held across the region. After having to go virtual last year, the very act of coming back together for a morning of exercise, community and family bonding while supporting the Y’s mission was awe-inspiring on so many levels. While the Y Turkey Trot Charity 5k has long been one of my favorite Y community events, this one might go down in history as the most special one ever.
There was something particularly affirming this year about seeing and being among all those happy, smiling folks (many of whom were clad in turkey or pilgrim outfits) in person; all united around something so healthy and positive. The Y Turkey Trot is truly the "trifecta of community events;" it's healthy, accessible to everyone whether they are a seasoned runner or just prefer a good stroll; it's inclusive, enabling participation in Y programs for those who otherwise could not afford to participate; and perhaps most importantly, it reaffirms the vital importance of human connections so fundamental to individual and community well-being.
As I’ve often stated, I refuse to accept the idea that somehow human beings can or should suddenly succumb to a mostly virtual life. It's unhealthy and flies smack in the face of thousands of years of evidence that people need direct social engagement with other human beings. We are social beings who not just enjoy but, in fact, need one another in order to thrive. The convergence of thousands of people who showed up this year and show up every year for the Turkey Trot is just one simple example of the fundamental importance of community that we all seek. Although there were certainly a number of impressive, highly competitive runners in each of this year’s six trots, most folks were there not to compete but to convene.
Pulling off an event of this magnitude can't happen without an almost insane level of preparation and effort. A big thanks goes out to our many wonderfully generous sponsors, all 12,740 participants, and the hundreds of donors, peer-to-peer fundraisers, partners and volunteers who are absolutely critical to making this event happen and be the successful community fundraiser that it is. And, of course, I also want to thank the army of Y associates across every area of our organization who pulled together to throw a Thanksgiving celebration like none other!
What a day it was.
All the best,
John
John K. Hoey
President & CEO
The Y in Central Maryland