Thanksgiving will soon be upon us, and it’s the perfect time of year to reflect on all that we should be grateful for.
This time of year, I seem to become a bit contemplative. Maybe it is the shorter days, or the cooler temperatures, or the holiday feel, but something makes me slow down and reminisce on how much we must be thankful. So many of us are lucky to have a warm, happy place to call home, dinner on the table, and strong family relationships but we cannot forget that this is not the reality for all of our Town and County residents. In fact, a warm place to call home or dinner on the table are anything but certain for too many people. There are many different ways we can help our struggling neighbors.
Every year, the Town hosts the Freeze Your Gizzard 5K race at Ida Lee Park. It’s not only a great opportunity to get some exercise in before Thanksgiving Day, but it serves as a major fundraiser for our charity partner Loudoun Hunger Relief. Monetary donations to support the food pantry will be accepted online or at the race itself. The Freeze Your Gizzard Race is set for Saturday, November 22, at Ida Lee Park, with the 5K race beginning at 9:00 a.m. You can find out more about the race at https://www.leesburgva.gov/departments/parks-recreation/events/freeze-your-gizzard.
If you’re not able to attend the race or want to support Loudoun Hunger Relief in other ways, whether by donating food items or volunteering yourself, I encourage you to check out the nonprofit’s website at http://www.loudounhunger.org.
There are so many ways to help during this season of giving. One very significant nonprofit is Loudoun Cares. The Loudoun Cares’ website is a great resource for finding local volunteer or giving opportunities in Loudoun County. You can visit their website at http://www.loudouncares.org for more information.
I hope you take the time this season of giving to reflect on how fortunate we are to live or work in Leesburg. I wish you and your family a wonderful Thanksgiving.
-Mayor Kelly Burk