While many of us will be eating turkey on Thanksgiving Day, some people will be hunting turkeys in Elizabethtown - but not in the way you might think. They'll be participating in the ECHOS Great Turkey Hunt, a 5K race that benefits Elizabethtown Community Housing and Outreach Services.

The race will kick off at 8:15 a.m. from Bear Creek Elementary School, 1459 Sheaffer Road, Elizabethtown, on Thursday, Nov. 25. It features participants searching for stuffed turkeys along the racecourse, said race director Grace Wells. "If they bring one back with them to the finish line, we'll have a frozen turkey for them," she stated.

Prizes will be awarded for the top three male and female finishers in each age group. "We're giving away plates with our Great Turkey Hunt logo on them as awards," Grace noted. "Last year, we gave out forks, so this goes nicely with that."

Grace's husband, Chuck, came up with the idea for the race a few years ago. "He wanted to give presents to kids in the area at Christmastime," Grace said, noting that they were searching for an organization to support when the then-director of ECHOS spoke at their church. "We realized there was a place right here in town that we could support." The first year, they purchased presents for children from a list ECHOS supplied, but since then, they've donated proceeds from the race for the organization to use as it sees fit.

Since its inception in 2016, ECHOS has served more than 2,600 people in the Elizabethtown area. The organization provides family and individual supportive services, information and resources, eviction prevention and diversion, emergency shelter programs, job readiness and workforce development and more.

Grace said interest in the Great Turkey Hunt has increased every year except 2020, when the race was virtual and participation slightly decreased, and she encourages people to sign up and come out for some community fun.

"It's a great way to exercise before you eat your turkey, to burn those calories you're going to eat later," she said. "It's a family-friendly event. We have our runners who run for time, but we have lots of families who come out and have made it a family tradition. While your turkey's cooking, come out for a run."

Race-day sign-ups will begin at 7 a.m. There is also an option to participate virtually in the race this year. To register in advance, visit https://runsignup.com and search for "The Great Turkey Hunt."