St. Vincent’s Announces Thanksgiving Day Run
Downtown Run Route Provides Glimpse of Development in Progress

   SAN DIEGO — St. Vincent de Paul Village announced today plans for a Thanksgiving Day 5K run, with the inaugural race being held this year.

   The event, called the San Diego Thanksgiving Day Run/Walk, will feature a course winding through downtown and ending at the future home of the San Diego Padres. The run route begins on the corner of 6th Avenue and Laurel Street in Balboa Park. Runners and walkers will head east on El Prado, crossing the Cabrillo Bridge. The route then turns south on to Pan American Road and continues south on Presidents Way and Park Boulevard. Participants will then turn west onto B Street for two blocks, then once again head south, finishing at the new ballpark construction site.

   President of St. Vincent’s, Fr. Joe Carroll, says the event will allow every member of the family to participate in a worthy cause on Thanksgiving Day.

   "So many people call during November to inquire about helping in the dining room on Thanksgiving Day that we had to start taking reservations a year ahead of time for volunteers," he says. "This event will give those people who would normally have been turned away as volunteers the chance to help out by participating in the run – the whole family can get involved and there’s no limit to the number of people whom we can accommodate."

   While holiday meals for the less fortunate are traditionally the focus on Thanksgiving Day for most charities, Father Joe hopes the run will be a welcome change for those who want to give back to the community.

   "The event, much like volunteering in our dining room, will offer families a chance to make a positive difference in the lives of our clients, while also providing an opportunity for those families to spend valuable time together," Father Joe says.

   For more information on the San Diego Thanksgiving Day Run, call
(877) 8-HUNGER (848-6437) or visit www.sandiegothanksgivingdayrun.org.

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