Published: November 21, 2008 11:08 pm      

Student designs tees for Turkey Trot

RUSSELL — When runners toe up to the starting line in Russell for the 2008 Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot, they’ll have something previous turkey trotters don’t have.

Raceday T-shirts.

The shirts, in neon hues of yellow, green and red, depict a comical cartoon turkey in oversized running shoes.

Designed by Russell High School senior Molly Picklesimer, the race tees were bankrolled through a donation. Otherwise, no T-shirts, because typically the shirts are paid for from entry fees, said organizer Ruthie Lynd.

But the entry fee for the Trot is an item or two of non-perishable food.

Lynd, a teacher at Russell High, noticed Molly’s design talent when the teenager did a shirt for Lynd’s aerobics class. So she asked her to try her hand at a turkey tee.

Molly is a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, which sponsors the race and conducts a food drive at the high school to augment what is collected at the Trot. She’s on the track team but doesn’t run too much because she mostly competes in the field events.

But she’ll run Thursday morning. “It’s a really good way to help out and you never know whose day you’re going to make,” she said.

In fact, her entire family — parents, brother and three sisters — is planning to run, she said.

The Trot starts at 9 a.m. Thanksgiving morning at the Super Quik on Bellefonte Street in downtown Russell. Racers may choose to go five or 10 kilometers. Walking is fine for those who want to take it easy and no one is required to finish the course.

All donations go to Helping Hands, which helps the needy in Greenup County.

When FCA students ask her what to donate, Lynd tells them to bring whatever they think would make their own Thanksgiving dinner better.

Helping Hands has told her they’re particularly in need of dried foods, such as instant potatoes.

The trot started in the mid-1970s, when a group of runners got together for a run before going home to their Thanksgiving dinners. They all brought food donations and started what has become a tradition.

MIKE JAMES can be reached at mjames@dailyindependent.com or at (606) 326-2652.