As the holiday season draws closer, students can relax and enjoy an early Thanksgiving meal at Palo Alto High School’s eighth annual Turkey Trot during lunch tomorrow on the Quad.

Lunch will be extended due to the celebration, going from 11:35 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Because of the Turkey Trot the school day will follow a modified A Day schedule with even blocks, with sixth period ending at 2:15 p.m. However, the periods will remain 90 minutes each.

This festive Thanksgiving tradition first started at Paly in 2005 and has been a celebrated event ever since.

According to parent coordinator Melissa Anderson, the Turkey Trot is important to Paly because it provides students with something to look forward to and helps bind the Paly community together.

Anne Stewart, a parent coordinator, echoes Anderson’s sentiments.

“I would say the whole idea behind the Turkey Trot celebration is to … bring the community together for a mini Thanksgiving at Paly,” Stewart said. “It is a holiday everyone can celebrate.”

During the Turkey Trot students will be able to choose from a wide variety of traditional Thanksgiving foods, ranging from turkey to pies. All of the foods are prepared and purchased by parent volunteers, which help orient the event around the community. The Paly jazz band will also provide entertainment on the Quad.

“We love the community effort that everyone puts together for the event,” Stewart said.

To participate in the Turkey Trot, students are required to donate either $5 or $2 with three cans of food.

“The cans are donated to [the] Ecumenical Hunger Program and the donated cash is used to purchase gift cards as holiday gifts for the EHP and Opportunity Center clients,” Anderson said.

Both Anderson and Stewart look forward to the Turkey Trot.

“It gets everyone in the holiday spirit and it’s a way to give back to the extended community,” Anderson said. “Plus big plates of comfort food – what’s not to like?”