Established in 2015, the Saranac Lake Turkey Trot began as a simple means of developing community, raising dollars, and promoting a little cold weather exercise on a day of feasting and gratitude. Over these last eight years though, it has grown to become so much more.

In the inaugural year, 103 hearty trotters and 72 community sponsors raised a total of $8,000. In 2022, seven years and as many Trots later, trotters ran shoulder to shoulder with a crew nearly four times the size, each proudly wearing the logos and printed names of more than 200 community sponsors, to raise just over $77,000 for their friends and neighbors in need. In total, this event has hosted more than 1,600 runners, benefited from the generosity of more than 1,000 well-loved local sponsors, and raised more than $316,000.

There are no large corporate sponsors, there is no investment fund, no grants or federal gifts, and, save for a very generous anonymous donation in 2021, there are no outside dollars whatsoever that have helped raise such a staggering amount- it is 100% local.

The big takeaway from the success of this small-town fun run is the unwavering support and strength of the community that makes it all possible. Year after year, local businesses, civic groups and individuals contribute their time, effort and hard earned dollars — some giving thousands –to invest in the health and happiness of their friends, neighbors, and strangers in need.

Our community is unique, it is special, and it is strong. We rush to support, and rally to protect. If you have wondered why you carry a unique sense of hometown pride (even if you may not be from Saranac Lake), look no further for an example. The success of this hometown event is carried squarely on the shoulders of the community it benefits.

But, what is raising $300,000 without putting that money to work? In 2015, all proceeds from the first Trot were given directly to the team at the local Interfaith Food Pantry, an obvious choice during the holiday season. In 2016, a new tradition of giving began, in which all funds would be split evenly between the Food Pantry, and a fledgling district-wide program known as the Saranac Lake Student Needs Fund. With these two dual causes, the true impact of the Turkey Trot began to take shape.

Fresh fruit, access to vegetables, a hot meal at a table with friends, are luxuries that might easily be taken for granted. In fact, many of our neighbors do not know where their next meal may come from or how they will feed their family. Food insecurity plagues many homes in our community. For the last seven years, The Interfaith Food Pantry has put your Trot donations to work, delivering hearty meals and groceries, as well as access to diapers, baby formula, and hygiene products that families might otherwise be forced to go without. Imagine the relief of knowing that your kids will be fed and the impact of that on a struggling parent. Hardships can happen to us all; The Food Pantry is an essential part of the safety net that keeps our community cared for and healthy.

As basic as food security and nourishment, is the right to an education and a childhood. Unfortunately, financial hardship forces many children to grow up prematurely, robbing them of their youth, and stripping them of their right to be a kid. Our students are often too humble to ask for assistance, and too proud to take a “handout.” Thankfully, our school staff and administrators are able to deploy your Trot dollars on the front lines, actively seeking out students in need to provide items essential for their academic success, and vital to their childhood experience. Whether it is replacing a tattered hoodie with a warm winter jacket, sending a student home with a bag of toiletries, finding the perfect dress to make for a memorable prom, or covering the cost of a college prep test, your donations keep our kids young, healthy and happy-as they should be.

The foundational goal of the Turkey Trot has become “getting our community fit, fed and educated.” With your support, generosity, and care of your fellow neighbor, this community event has created a groundswell of goodwill, assuring a brighter shared future for all of us.

We look forward to another Trot in 2023, and another opportunity to show the world what’s possible with a little town, and a ‘lotta heart! Thank you, Saranac Lake.

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Johnny Williams is an organizer of the annual Saranac Lake Turkey Trot. He lives in Saranac Lake.