The Newark Cross Country Booster Club will host its annual Turkey Day Race in Newark on Thursday, November 22nd at 9AM. Registration and check-in are at the Alex Eligh Community Center, 303 East Ave in Newark. The race features the traditional 5-mile course, run in reverse this year due to the construction on South Main Street in Newark.
The booster club has designed new t-shirts and awards for this year’s race; the first 100 registrants will
receive a shirt. The race will again feature electronic timing provided by Yen Timing, something that
allows a quicker wrap-up of the race and a faster route to the Thanksgiving table! The Wayne County
Dairy Princess, Alaska Dunstan, and her court will be on hand to pass out chocolate milk following the
race.
Many local businesses and individuals have donated prizes for the post-race raffle, which this year will
be opened-up to spectators who wish to purchase tickets as well. If you are a local business and would like to donate a prize for the raffle, please contact Karen Hughes at [email protected]. The Newark Turkey Day Race is a major fundraiser for the Newark Cross Country Boosters, providing funding for travel, equipment and team warm-ups. The XC Boosters typically fund a trip to a meet in Virginia each year, allowing the Varsity runners to compete in an early-season meet with different competition than they would normally face. While in Virginia, the team also visits Colonial Williamsburg and other historic sites, led by Head Coach Joe Contario.
“I think it’s very important for our Newark kids to get out and see the world, to get a chance to compete
against the best and see the world while they do it,” said Contario.
In 2018, the trip was cancelled due to Hurricane Florence’s impact on the area; this cancellation allowed
the booster club to contribute significantly to the purchase of warm-ups for members of both the Varsity and Modified teams, something the teams have wanted for years.
“The team is grateful for our warm-ups. They kept us warm in the late season and we looked great as a team, ”said Lindsay Wells a member of the Modified Cross Country team.
Registration and packet pick-up begin at 8AM on race day, registration fee is $20 for students and $25 for non-students for pre-registration, $30 for race-day sign-up. Pre-registration is encouraged online at: https://runsignup.com/Race/NY/Newark/NewarkTurkeyDayRace There is a $2.50 fee for online registration.
