The Grand Valley State University Running Club will host its fifth annual Turkey Trot 5K race on Nov. 22. All proceeds from the race will go toward Kids’ Food Basket.

Kids’ Food Basket is a nonprofit organization that supplies meals to families who are in need in the Grand Rapids and Muskegon area. The organization also donates food to children in schools that have a student population where 80 percent or more of the students live at or below the poverty line.

“One hundred percent of the proceeds go to the Kids’ Food Basket,” said club president and GVSU senior, Nicholas McIntosh. “It’s the best Turkey Trot in West Michigan. Last year, we had around 250 runners and we are hoping for at least 275 runners this year.”

Currently, Kids’ Food Basket serves 600 children per day at two elementary schools in the Muskegon and Lakeshore areas. Even greater, about 5,700 children are served in over 30 elementary schools in the greater Grand Rapids area.

In 2012, the Running Club raised about $1,200 for Kids’ Food Basket, and last year they raised close to $1,700. Brandon Yonke, the race director and a senior at GVSU, hopes for an even better turnout this year, despite the cold weather.

“It is so hard to determine (the number of runners) because everyone registers the last two days before the race and the day of,” Yonke said. “Right now we are ahead of last year. At the current point in time we have about 120 people registered, but it’s hard to tell with the weather if we’ll reach 230 or more, or if the weather will discourage people from coming out.”

Runners will start at the Kirkhof Center and head down South Campus Dr., behind the VanSteeland and Niemeyer Living Centers, around parking lots O, M and L and end at the Cook Carillon Clock Tower.

The event is open to the public and will begin at 10 a.m. at the Kirkhof Center on the Allendale campus. Bagels, hot drinks and snacks will be available after the race, as well as a featured award ceremony at 11 a.m. Gift cards will also be given in a raffle from Turkey Trot sponsors.

Runners can sign up for the Turkey Trot online at
http://michianatiming.com/registration/, or can sign up the day of the race at 9 a.m. The registration fee is $27.

For more information on the Turkey Trot 5K, visit
http://grandvalleyrunningclub.webs.com/.