On the Town: YMCA’s Turkey Trot helps needy members
According to the American Caloric Control Council (yes, there really is such a thing), the average American consumes more than 4,500 calories and 229 grams of fat on Thanksgiving Day.
While, for many, the only exercise they get to work off that feast is clicking the remote back and forth between football games, for more than 2,300 members and supporters of the Burbank Community YMCA, some serious preemptive calorie burning took place this past Thanksgiving morning as they participated in the Y’s Turkey Trot, an annual 10K, 5K and 1K fundraiser.
Staged for the fourth consecutive year, last week’s trot was emceed by Parks, Recreation and Community Services Commissioner Mickey Depalo, who kicked off the festivities with the help of the Y’s Executive Director J.C. Holt, Vice Mayor David Gordon and the event’s grand marshal, Gabriel Cordell.
Cordell is a paraplegic who became the first person to traverse the nation from California to New York in a standard wheelchair. He trained five days a week for eight months at the Burbank Y before taking off on his historic 99-day, 3,100-mile journey.
Among those who supported the Y with a $40 entrance fee and then took to the streets of downtown Burbank for an early turkey-day run or walk were former Mayor Jef Vander Borght, Burbank Police Commissioner Elise Stearns-Niesen, Lisa Matzner of Orange Coast Title Co. and local Realtor Brad Korb and his wife, Nancy.
Funds raised at this annual event are earmarked for the Burbank Y’s membership assistance program, which makes its facilities and programs available to children and families in the community regardless of their ability to pay.
This coming year will be a significant one for the Burbank Y as it celebrates its 90th year of service to the community. The organization has been operating since 1924 with the belief that healthy living, social responsibility and providing every child an equal opportunity to excel is a cornerstone on which a strong community is built.
The YMCA provides people of all ages, ethnicities, lifestyles and income levels with the opportunity to become stronger in spirit, mind and body.
Along with its Child Development Center, the Y also offers aquatics, gymnastics, martial arts, basketball, boxing and classes in dance and music as well as programs such as youth and government and counselor in training.
For more information about the Burbank Y and its numerous programs, visit BurbankYMCA.org.
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DAVID LAURELL may be reached by email at dlaurell@aol.com or (818) 563-1007.
