For Sharon West, Thanksgiving morning is more than logging miles before the turkey hits the table. It is about gathering people, creating connection, and giving an entire community a reason to begin the holiday with gratitude.
Sharon is the heart behind the North Peoria Turkey Trot, an annual tradition that brings together runners, walkers, families, and neighbors of all ages and abilities.
“I really love the art of gathering people,” Sharon says. “I love bringing people together in ways that include movement and doing things that stretch people, challenge them, connect them and help them grow their belief in their ability to do hard things.”
The inspiration came from an unexpected place: a church meeting. One of Sharon’s leaders encouraged members to find ways to unite their communities. It reminded her of something she had learned in coaching school: find ways to serve in your community.
Combining that message with her love of Turkey Trots, Sharon began imagining an event that could bring North Peoria together. Her husband, Chris, along with family and friends, quickly joined her in bringing that vision to life.
For the inaugural event at Liberty Park, Sharon set a goal of 200 participants. Instead, 664 registered. The following year, the event moved to Paloma Community Park and surpassed 1,000 registrations. By its third year, more than 1,750 people registered, reaching the park’s capacity.
Yet success has never been measured solely by attendance.
From the beginning, the Turkey Trot has centered around three words: community, connection and confidence.
Keeping registration affordable was important so families wouldn’t feel excluded because of cost. Local businesses help offset expenses through sponsorships, while the event is intentionally designed to welcome everyone.
The result is a Thanksgiving morning where runners line up alongside casual walkers, children, grandparents, families pushing strollers and participants using wheelchairs.
“We have two events at the Turkey Trot to try to meet the variety of goals for participants,” Sharon says. “We have a one-mile event that is not timed. We also offer a 5K event that is timed and has medals awarded for 18 age groups.”
One of her favorite sights is watching older participants receive their medals.
“Watching a group of elderly ladies take the podium to get a medal placed around their neck is truly a special experience,” she says.
The event’s impact also extends beyond race day. Because the Turkey Trot is not-for-profit, funds remaining after expenses are donated back into the community. Past contributions have supported TheaterWorks’ special-needs theater programming, Peoria Flex Academy programs, youth basketball opportunities and other local needs.
Last year, Sharon learned that local school nurses needed new underwear for students. The Turkey Trot added an underwear drive with a goal of collecting 500 pairs.
The community donated 1,231.
“Boy did the community and event participants show up with giving hearts!” Sharon says. “We got lots of gratitude from nurses at Peoria schools for filling their cabinets with desperately needed supplies.”
Behind those moments are months of preparation. Permits, insurance, sponsors, timing systems, shirts, medals, bibs, swag bags, marketing, packet pickup, volunteers and course setup are just part of what it takes to bring race morning together.
But even as registrations climb into the thousands, Sharon and Chris refuse to let participants become numbers.
When Chris tells her how many new registrations have arrived, Sharon immediately asks, “What are their names?”
Then they read them together.
“Every registration is a person, a family, a group,” Sharon says. “They aren’t just numbers. They are our community members.”
They notice the family of four signing up together or the 82-year-old woman joining the race. Each registration represents someone choosing to become part of the community they are building.
Perhaps nothing captures the spirit of the Turkey Trot better than a moment from last year’s finish line.
Sharon typically stands inside the finish chute, cheering as participants complete their race. One older woman crossed the line, embraced her and began crying.
“She gave me the hugest hug and started crying with joy and said, ‘I have never done anything like this before,’” Sharon recalls.
For Sharon, the moment was about far more than completing a race.
“She was so proud of herself, and that day she showed herself that she could do hard things,” Sharon says. “She felt community and connection and in that moment grew her confidence.”
It was exactly the kind of experience Sharon hoped to create.
On Thanksgiving morning, surrounded by music, families, costumes, volunteers and neighbors cheering one another toward the finish line, gratitude becomes more than a holiday sentiment. It becomes something the community experiences together.
“My hope for future Turkey Trots is that people keep showing up,” Sharon says, “that they take moments to feel gratitude for our wonderful community, to have experiences that help them reflect and remind themselves of how wonderful and capable they are.”
“A grateful heart can really build our confidence,” she says, “and when we build ourselves, we can build our families and then build our community. That really matters to me.”
“A grateful heart can build our confidence, and when we build ourselves, we can build our families and our community.”
“Every registration is a person, a family, a group. They aren’t just numbers. They are our community members, and it brings us joy to see them show up.”