Growing by leaps and bounds, Give n’ Gooble set for Thanksgiving
Submitted Photo
LOADS OF FOOD — Here’s some of the food collected during last year’s Give n’ Gobble. The annual event to benefit Helping Hands food bank is set for Nov. 26.
For the third year in a row, Sherwood residents can not only get loads of exercise on Thanksgiving Day morning, but know they’re giving to a good cause as well. That’s because as many as 1,000 runners and walkers will get up later this month to participate in the Give n’ Gobble, a now annual event that includes a 5k run/walk and a 10k run.
“It’s been amazing how quickly this has (become) a tradition here,” said Cindy Aggson, the founder and organizer of the Give n’ Gobble.
Registration is online by going to www.givengobble.com
All money and food goes to Helping Hands, a local food bank associated with the Oregon Food Bank.The race begins at 9 a.m. at Sherwood High School.
The event has gained momentum in its short lifespan, beginning with a field of 500 runners and walkers with a total of $5,000 collected in its inaugural year. Last year, more than 1,000 runners showed up, helping to raise $11,000 along with bringing donations of five tons of food.
Participants who donate a bag of non-perishable food on the day of the event receive free T-shirts while supplies last, said Aggson.
Meanwhile, sponsorship of the event has been increasing with sponsors such as Davidson Benefits Planning out of Tualatin and the Sherwood UPS Store pledging to double the amount of their previous contributions.
Something new this year will be the ability to follow Give n’ Gobble on Facebook
(http://www.facebook.com/GiveNGobble) and Twitter.
Gerry Edy, who serves as a co-director of Helping Hands, said he’s been impressed with the event to the point where he’s brought in a videographer to record it in hopes of inspiring other communities to hold a similar race.
“It’s a wonderful Thanksgiving morning event and everyone is home by lunch time,” said Edy, who, aided by his wife Dottie and Sherwood resident Velma Woolley, run the food bank.
Having something like the Give n’ Gobble to support Helping Hands is especially nice during a time when non-profit organizations working with hunger are having a tough time, he pointed out.
Funding of the race has been such a boon to Helping Hands that they are now able to provide fresh meat and dairy products to the residents they serve, said Edy.
Helping Hands feeds hundreds of residents each month.
Edy said he’s particularly impressed with Aggson’s effort in coordinating the event each year.
“She reaches out and gets ahold of tons of people,” he said. “I’m absolutely delighted with (the event).”
In addition, the local food bank, which is run out of Sherwood United Methodist Church, is planning to launch a program where needy students at local schools can get their backpacks filled with food for the weekend.
Edy said those students targeted most likely will those who receive free and reduced lunches. There are similar programs in Lincoln City and Hillsboro, he pointed out.
“We want to make sure there’s enough food to go through the weekend (for students),” said Edy.