BELINGTON — Community sponsors and volunteers came together on Saturday, Nov. 5 to support the Barbour Community Health Association’s eleventh annual Turkey Trot. This event is held each year to raise funds for the Heart and Hand House and the Belington Presbyterian Church.

The two local organizations come together each year to feed roughly 400 families every Thanksgiving Day. The Belington Presbyterian Church has been hosting Thanksgiving Day dinners since 1995, with the help of 20-25 volunteers who deliver and dish out the food.

“We’re thrilled that we have been able to keep this event going throughout the years because it really is for a good cause and for the residents of Barbour County,” said Scott Nesland, PA-C of Myers Clinic and the new organizer of this race. “The community sees how valuable the Belington Presbyterian Church and the Heart and Hand House are to the county and its residents.”

118 runners/walkers participated in this year’s event with the oldest runner being Robert Cole, 88 years old, and the youngest runner Nicholas Mullens, 2 years old.

The top male runner went to Joel Wolpert with the top female runner being Katie Wolpert.

Sponsors of the Turkey Trot included: LabCorp, Radon Medical Imaging, Mark P. Joseph, CPA, LLC, Cintas, Freedom Bank, Mace’s Pharmacy, Shop ‘n Save, Skatezone LLC, BC Bank Inc., Citizens Bank of West Virginia, Cvechko Insurance, Hometown Pizzeria, Lake’s Bookkeeping, Mountain Hospice, Delta Cooling Towers, Snyder Industries, Peoples Bank, Dave’s Plumbing & Heating, Tank Holding and HomeTown Care.

The event couldn’t have been possible without the help of area volunteers, including Julie Feather, Jill Baker, Barbour County Sheriffs’ Deputies, Scott Nesland, Kim Bolton, Debbie Schoonover, Donna Seaman, Eric Ruf, Katie Wolpert, and Kayla Bartlett.

Next year’s Turkey Trot is scheduled for November 4, 2023.