Thanksgiving is one of America’s favorite holidays. Friends and family come together to eat oversized portions of mashed potatoes, stuffing, and, of course, turkey. People see this joyous occasion as a time to show their philanthropic side and give back to their community. Palo Alto High School has created just this atmosphere, but two weeks early.

Paly held it’s second annual Turkey Trot. On Tuesday, all class periods were shortened by five minutes in order to have an extended, 90 minute lunch break. During lunch, students could buy a ticket to the Turkey Day Feast by spending either 4$ or bringing in three items of packaged goods and 1$.

The Ecumenical Hunger Project collected the packaged goods brought in by students and teachers for redistribution to teens and their families in need during the holiday season, according to event coordinator, Camille Townsend. According to Townsend, on the actual holiday, the Urban Ministry Food Closet gives out the same Thanksgiving meals Paly received last Tuesday to families in need.

Volunteers set up tables and chairs as well as bales of hay so students had an alternative to sitting on the soggy quad while they ate their turkey meals. Pumpkins and festive colors visually attracted students and faculty to the lunchtime event, and the Paly Jazz Band provided an auditory appeal as well.

” Our school is really good at participating and giving to the community. I don’t know many people either who would have turned down a thanksgiving meal for five dollars,” ASB secretary junior Kristen Witte said

However successful Turkey Trot is at Paly, its success is also measured in the community it is giving back to.

“Paly creates an event bringing fun and good cheer to the Quad and the proceeds directly benefit teens and their families in the greater area. We seek to distribute the good cheer to many,” Townsend said.

Although this was only Paly’s second Turkey Trot, there have already been changes from last year.

“The biggest thing we did differently from last year was we had a Facebook invitation and fliers and different kinds of advertising,” said ASB President junior Mohammed Abid.”We [also] collected more [money and items for the supplies drive] than we have in the past.”

Student Council has already begun planning and making improvements for next year’s event.

“Next year I think we might want to change the layout of the quad; where people bought their ticket, got their meal and then got their pie because a lot of people were confused,” Abid said.

Paly’s student council felt the event ran pretty well, overall.

“Mrs. Townsend did an awesome job planning and putting together this turkey trot,” Abid said. “[It] was a great success.”