DERRY — For 36 years, devoted runners in the area have spent part of their Thanksgiving holiday helping feed the hungry and making a difference.

The Greater Derry Track Club's annual Turkey Trot event is set for Nov. 26 beginning at approximately 9 a.m. at Gallien's Beach on Route 102.

The trot event has a long, rich history in town, beginning back in the early 1970s when then Parks and Recreation director Gerry Cox spearheaded the event as a way to kick off the holiday season while offering a fun way for families to gather and take part in some fun physical activity. Cox passed away in September.

The Greater Derry Track Club took over the event a few years later and in the decades since, the event has brought out hundreds and hundreds of runners and walkers, both individuals and families, hoping to start off Thanksgiving morning with some exercise while reaching out to help those in need at the same time.

Numbers of participants have grown through the years. According to race director Jim Ewell, last year about 939 people finished the race. He has high hopes for this year's event.

"We hope to have 1,000 finishers this year," he said, adding the annual Turkey Trot has become the largest sporting event in the town of Derry.

Once the Trot kicks off at Gallien's Beach, the race course heads around Beaver Lake and through Derry's scenic residential areas. Awards will be given to the top female and male finishers, with all participants being recognized for their Trot efforts.

To keep the original mission of the Trot in mind, race organizers ask everyone participating to bring a non-perishable food item to be collected and donated to local food pantries. Helping those less fortunate was the main reason the Turkey Trot began and this still continues to be the only reason for the event today. Financial proceeds will also go to help those in need.

All are welcome to come out on Thanksgiving Day and get some fresh air and exercise before the big meal, organizers said. And walkers are welcome to take part, too.

Registration information, entry fee information, and other Turkey Trot particulars, can be found at the Greater Derry Track Club's Web site at www.gdtc.org or call Ewell for information at 432-6409.