Before millions of people across the country gobbled up a variety of calorie-filled dishes on Thanksgiving Day, thousands of people throughout the region came to the city of Grove City to pound the pavement for the 11th annual Thanksgiving Wattle. According to event organizer Mark Sigrist, more than 1,700 cyclists, runners, walkers, and wheelchair users signed up for this year’s 5K race, the most they have ever had throughout its history. “Unfortunately, we had to turn some people away because it was so packed,” he said. Although the organizers were saddened to have denied entry to dozens of would-be participants, they were ultimately pleased with the results of the day as more than $30,000 was raised for the local food pantry. “It’s always a good day when we can give back to the community in some way,” said Sigrist. Shown here are some of the scenes captured during the 5K walk/run and the 13.4-mile cycling event on Nov. 24.
Grove City High School students Steven Jordan, Gracie Smith, and Alivia Beiriger volunteered to be mascots for the event. In addition to cheering the crowd on, they also participated in the children’s races to provide further encouragement.
