BERNARDSTON — As rain drizzled from an overcast sky Wednesday morning, school buses pulled into Bernardston Elementary School. Tiny faces peered from the window panes and tiny hands waved to parents waiting on the sidewalks beneath umbrellas.
Children filed out and eagerly rushed to the basketball court for stretching, preparing to run just over a mile through the mist. Many had decorated their shirts to look like turkeys, while others, including teachers and parents, wore turkey hats.
Sue Scott, physical education teacher at Bernardston Elementary School, Pearl Rhodes Elementary School and Warwick Community School who organizes the Turkey Trot, called the students to the starting line, grade by grade.
“Let me hear a ‘Gobble, gobble!’” Scott yelled to a group of third- and first-graders, who, in turn, shouted “Gobble, gobble!” at the top of their lungs.
As children darted down School Road, their sneakers thudding against the pavement, older students cheered from behind the basketball court’s chain link fence.
What seemed like only moments later, children came running back through the finish line, being cheered on individually by Scott, teachers and parents. Finishing the eighth annual Turkey Trot was a point of pride, especially for sixth graders participating for the last time.
“This is definitely the best I’ve ever done,” said Bernardston Elementary sixth-grader Sofia Holden, as she got a drink of water at the finish line.
The event frequently inspires students with a love of running, while also collecting nonperishable goods for the Franklin Area Survival Center. To enter, each student from Bernardston Elementary, Pearl Rhodes Elementary and Warwick Community School had to donate a canned food item.
“A lot of kids, because of this, want to do track at Pioneer,” Holden said.
The students weren’t the only ones feeling inspired.
“It gets the adults moving, too,” said Joe Gruszkowski, who ran with his two daughters, Bernardston Elementary third-grader Kiara and first-grader Kayla. “When you’re running with kids, it gives you more motivation to keep going.”
“Some people train for it as a family,” agreed Tracey Saboleuski, who cheered on her children, Bernardston Elementary fourth-grader Nathan and second-grader Coleton.
So everyone could be included, Scott said this year the event saw three “virtual runners.” Students who were unable to participate themselves used FaceTime to watch the race from the viewpoint of other student runners.
“The community loves it,” said Steve Rhodes, who attended the Turkey Trot to support his daughter, Bernardston Elementary third-grader Elise. “It’s such a sweet thing.”