Annual event features
more than 5,700 runners
The 37th Annual Garden City Turkey Trot set yet another attendance record on a brisk but dry Thanksgiving day. The mere chance of snowflakes descending did not deter more than 5,700 runners who ran in Long Island’s largest Thanksgiving day road race. The Turkey Trot consists of three races, a Challenger Division Race for courageous special needs athletes, a 1.4-mile Fun Run and a challenging 5-mile race. All three races start and finish in front of the historic St. Paul’s School on Stewart Avenue.
The Garden City Turkey Trot attracts many of the top runners from the tri-state area. The winner of this year’s 5-Mile Race and the Jim Flynn Memorial Trophy was 24-year-old Dan Corley (New Rochelle) whose winning time was 24:45. The first female finisher was Mitzy McIntosh (New Rochelle) with a time of 27:24. The first Garden City resident finisher was 18-year-old Tom Slattery, who finished in 25:19, placing second overall. Slattery, a freshman at Fordham University, also just completed a cross-country season for the Rams.
A new outside sound system, a Race MC and a Race Information Tent were welcome additions to this year’s race, as were new sponsors and many more volunteers. Race Director Ken Aneser noted that “each year we try to improve the race to create a better experience for the runners and spectators and we cannot do it without the tremendous support of our sponsors, friends and neighbors.”
The Turkey Trot is much more than a race. It is a well-established family tradition for so many in the community. Hundreds of volunteers, young and old alike, come out Wednesday night and on race day to lend a hand and help make the race a success. Net race proceeds are donated to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, the Muscular Dystrophy Association and the INN. A food drive resulted in hundreds of pounds of food being donated to the INN and several hundred race T-shirts were donated to the Wounded Warrior Project. Thousands pick up their shirts and race bibs Wednesday night at St. Paul’s in the gym from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. and are able to purchase pasta on site from La Bottega, who donated 100 percent of the proceeds to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
More than 4,400 people registered online at www.gcturkeytrot.com and thousands more visited the race website after the race to view their race results and race photos. More than 1,900 ran in the Fun Run. There were many runners in costume in the Fun Run and the 5-mile race including turkeys, alligators and Santa and Mrs. Claus. Many smiles were visible as friends and fellow runners and spectators connected after the race. Thousands of oranges, bananas, bagels and bottles of water were on hand after the runners cross the finish line.
The Garden City Turkey Trot would not be possible without the generous support of corporate sponsors. The local Merrill Lynch Garden City office is the race’s lead corporate sponsor and has been so for more than 35 years. Regional Managing Director Dominick Tomeo and the entire Merrill Lynch Garden City office have shown a true commitment to support the race and its charities.
The Kenney Family Foundation also donates very substantial sums to the race beneficiaries and, assisted by Al Vanasco, ensures that the Challenger Division athletes experience the thrill of victory each and every year. Other major sponsors include Select Sector SPDRs, The Garden City Hotel, Winthrop Radiology Associates, National Land Tenure, The Durnan Group, The Albanese Organization, Rallye Auto Group, Verizon, Coach Realtors, New York Spine Institute, La Bottega, Walk Street, New Balance Long Island, The Donnelly Group, Doc O’Grady’s , North Coast Financial Group, Bethpage Federal Credit Union, New York Running Company and the Garden City Buffalos.
The Race Committee (Race Director Ken Aneser, Kevin Coffey, Bob Freeman, Chris Giarraputo, Mike Kopcak, Charlie Lee, Ian Paisley, Bob Priest, Phil Puccio, Mark Robertson, Tim Tobin and Rob Votruba) would like to thank all the runners, volunteers and all those who live on the race course for their support. In particular, the race committee directed special thanks to Mayor John Watras and the board of trustees, Chief William Castoro and the Garden City Fire Department, Police Commissioner Ken Jackson, Detective Rich Pedone and the Garden City Police Department, Officer Bob Graves and the Nassau County Explorers, Chief Chris Taylor and Mineola Ambulance, Kevin Ocker and Ed Fronkowitz of the recreation department, Bob Mangan and Domenick Stanco of the Department of Public Works and countless others greatly assist the Race Committee each and every year.
