The Thanksgiving run brought over 1,000 people to the Atascadero Lake Park

ATASCADERO — This year, more participants showed up, and more money was raised than ever before at El Camino Homeless Organization’s (ECHO) 6th Annual Turkey Trot. Over 1,000 people gathered at Atascadero Lake Park on the brisk Thanksgiving (Thursday, Nov. 28) morning, with the 5k/fun run/walk bringing the community out to start their holiday fun off by raising over $100,000 for ECHO while having a blast doing it with their family, neighbors, and friends.

“One of the best parts is this is a suggested donation event, so really, it is people giving what they can. We had people that came and gave $100. We had people that came and gave $20. We had people that came and gave $1,” said ECHO’s Director of Development Austin Solheim. “It’s just an incredible event for so many members of the community to be able to come out and participate in a Thanksgiving trot [tradition].”

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One of the many reasons ECHO was able to raise over $100,000 this year during the Turkey Trot was because they had incredible community members, Michael and Lori Bickel, who matched every donation made by the community during the 5k.

“It was just incredible to have a member of our community, just to see that, and to share that impact with everyone there was absolutely incredible,” added Solheim on being able to tell the fun run’s participants.

Like in years before, the Turkey Trot also provided enjoyment in the form of the race’s Thanksgiving-themed costume contests, and boy did the participants deliver.

“It was actually the most difficult year to choose winners. We had a group of volunteers that we had deciding who was going to win the costume contest, and we had four winners this year,” Solheim stated. “We had a best individual costume, a best group costume, a best kids costume, and a best dog costume. We had four winners. It was incredible.”

He went on to say that one of the highlights for him was the individual winner, who showed up in an inflatable turkey costume. Not as an alive turkey, but one you would find in the middle of your Thanksgiving table.

“He actually ran the entire 5K in that inflatable turkey costume,” continued Solheim. 

This year, the Turkey Trot had six winners in three different divisions: the top two adult males, the top two adult females, and a male and female winner in the 18 and under category. Those winners and their times were:

  • Adult Male 1st Place: Johnathan Dolan (18:47)
  • Adult Male 2nd Place: Triston Ioppini (20:12)
  • Adult Female 1st Place: Brianna Calvert (23:52)
  • Adult Female 2nd Place: Carolyn McGaughey (27:12)
  • Under 18 Male 1st Place: Adam McClair (21:16)
  • Under 18 Female 1st Place: Selena Trejo (27:12)

“The winners of the costume contest and the race actually get these little golden turkey trophies, which are just fun little momentos that people get to take with them. I will tell you one of my favorite parts about doing this event is they have just become coveted. People are just like, ‘I want that trophy so bad.’ We give 10 trophies out every year,” Solheim added.

People came out from all over the Central Coast to support ECHO and aid them in everything they do for the local unhoused community in the North County. 

“We have actually helped a record number of individuals and families secure stable housing this year. In 2023, we had ECHO’s most successful year ever of 201 individuals and families we helped to accomplish that goal. This year, we’re actually at 311 as of yesterday (Thanksgiving),” Solheim told Atascadero News. “One of the ways that we’ve been able to do that is just because of events like this, ECHO has been able to expand our services. We’ve been able to add more beds. We’ve been able to add prevention services and more layers to our outreach teams. We’re using the funds that we’re raising to create the flexible services that people need to get back into stable housing, and we just can’t do that without the community’s support. We’re so grateful.”

All monies raised at the Turkey Trot will go directly to providing more services to the unhoused through both of ECHO’s campuses, which are located in Atascadero and Paso Robles. To find out more about ECHO, go to echoshelter.org.

ECHO’s 7th Annual Turkey Trot will return next Thanksgiving!


Featured Image: Runners take off at the start of ECHO’s 6th Annual Turkey Trot. Photo by Rick Evans