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Time for the Turkey Trot

Waupaca Learning Center’s fourth annual Turkey Trot will be held Thursday, Oct. 24, and this year’s event is open to the entire community.

“It was just a school thing for WLC kids and families,” said Mary Feldt, a physical education teacher at the school. “Last year, we opened it up to the district. We had a couple high school kids and some high school teachers participate.”

This year, the committee organizing the trot decided to invite the community.

“The schools belong to everyone,” Feldt said.

As a result, there will be two divisions in the 2013 Turkey Trot. There will be “WLC and the rest of the world,” she said.

The Turkey Trot is a 1.2 mile prediction run/walk.

Families or individuals predict the time it will take them to travel the course.

Watches and timing devices are not allowed during the event.

The family completing the course closest to the predicted time will win a Thanksgiving turkey.

Other prizes will include potatoes, squash, cranberries and pumpkin pie.

The sponsors are Turner’s Fresh Market, Mamma Z’s Bakery & Java Hut, Kissinger Family Farm, Yeska Brothers Farm and ING/Run for Something Better.

“We encourage people to walk it a few times before they turn in their prediction,” Feldt said.

Registration forms went home with WLC students and are to be returned to their physical education teachers before Oct. 24.

Pre-registration is not required but is appreciated.

There is no registration fee. Community members may find forms at area businesses and at the Waupaca Recreation Center and return them to the school at 1515 Shoemaker Road.

People may also email Feldt at [email protected] and include the name of their team, names of the participants, predicted finish time and a phone number where they may be reached.

People may also register the day of the Turkey Trot

The route will begin at the crosswalk by the school’s west playground. Check in will be at 3:30 p.m., with the event beginning at 4 p.m.

“We always start the event with the ‘The Turkey dance,’” Feldt said.

From the playground, the route will go behind the school and follow the River Ridge Trail to Riverside Park, where it will then go on the sidewalk along Royalton Street. Participants will walk past the Waupaca County Courthouse before turning on to Harding Street and heading back to the school.

In-school prizes will be awarded on Nov. 1, and community winners will be notified.

Feldt said their goal is to increase participation.

She said as people try out the route prior to the event, before they know it, they will walk several miles.

That is another one of the committee’s goals – to encourage people to be physically active.

Feldt says it is a fun event.

“We encourage people to have a fun (team) name and encourage people to do it as a family,” she said.

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