Trotting off the Turkey Tummy
In its 9th year of fundraising for the Reeve-Irvine Research Center, Research for Cure’s Plymouth Rock 'n' Run team put on another successful 5k/10k Thanksgiving Day "Turkey Trot", playing host to 2500 participants, exhibitors, and spectators. The event, held annually at Yorba Regional Park in Anaheim Hills CA, was established in 2006 by the Johnson family of Yorba Linda, who helped again this year securing sponsorships and prizes. Tim Johnson, co-founder of PRNR, was the start-line announcer for the 5k and 1Ok races and kicked off both with an inspiring speech before the starting horn was sounded.
This year’s finish line festival featured a silent auction, prize wheel for the kids, vendors selling gifts for the holidays and even a mobile tropical cage with numerous trained parrots! Family Tree Produce provided complimentary food at the finish line for the participants, and a special coffee booth open to all attendees was provided by Influence Church. Cure Medical helped to sponsor some of the cost for the event T-shirts for everyone who participated. Task Force Heroes again donated participant goodie bags and staffed gear check at the event.
We are so grateful to all those who donate their time and talent to make this event a huge success! Event managers James and Deborah Scott worked tirelessly as they have in years past to produce a well-organized race, with assistance from Michelle Laizure, as well as Travis Torres and his team from Bear Pit Gym & Fitness Center. Many other volunteers from local school organizations, churches, businesses, and other groups in the community also pitched in to assist with registration, event and course setup/teardown and handling of numerous other race details before and during the event. For the fourth consecutive year, Allan Cason from APC Entertainment served as DJ and master of ceremonies. He sang incredible renditions of "The Star-Spangled Banner" and "God Bless the USA (aka "Proud to be an American") to start off the 1Ok an 5k races, respectively, which got our racers in the spirit oft e occasion and ready to run!
The Research for Cure 501(c )(3) charity was created by Fran Lopes in 2002, and to date has raised over $900,000 from Plymouth Rock 'n' Run, golf tournaments and other fundraising events to benefit RIRC. The PRNR team has already starting planning its 2017 Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot, marking its 10-year anniversary. Come join us for a morning filled with fun and healthy activity in support of the Reeve-Irvine Research Center! You can organize your own fundraising team with your family and friends and help to make the race proceeds even more successful. Or just show up in costume and be in the pool of folks who may win a prize for best costume! If you cannot make it to the race please consider taking part in the virtual run, join a team on line or help with sponsorship. There are so many ways to support this amazing group in their efforts to make a difference in the lives of those who need to believe in a better tomorrow.For more information about the race and sponsorship opportunities, please visit the Plymouth Rock 'n' Run website at www.plymouthrocknrun.com or contact Tania Jope at (949) 824-5925 tania.jope@uci.edu.
