By Stephanie Guevara
The first ever Turkey Trot and Thanksgiving Food Drive was held at the Football Stadium by the Kinesiology Department on Nov. 25th.
This is the first event they have organized as a department.
Professor Rick Gamboa, coordinated the event to promote the Kinesiology Department’s recent unification since the department used to be divided into men and women.
Gamboa said he was thinking of an event that could introduce the newly united Kinesiology Department and the Turkey Trot was the best way to introduce it.
Since Thanksgiving was coming, Gamboa said that a food drive was also a good thing to do.
He said that the Turkey Trot is a way that the Kinesiology Department can promote fitness and also collect food for the less fortunate.
“It feels great to promote health, fitness and wellness,” Gamboa said.
The collected food was donated to food banks who then distributed all around Los Angeles to organizations such as Homeboy Industries.
Gamboa invited all administraton and staff to be part of the event he and the Kinesiology Club put on.
Cross Country member Stephanie Trelles poured a bucket of ice with water on Gamboa and thanked him for this event.
She participated in the mile race.
Antonio Cervantes, a business major, who donated to the food drive, ran the race and said he felt great .
He said this event is a great way to see how the Kinesiology Club functions.
Cervantes said this wasn’t the first race he ran. He ran the L.A Marathon and Disney Marathon.
“I felt excited to be part of the first Turkey Trot race,” Cevantes said.
Cervantes hopes to run for the Turkey Trot again next year.
Yesenia Gutierrez, a Kinesiology major, was also a participant of the Turkey Trot. She didn’t run the race, due to a sprained ankle, she walked.
“It feels awesome to be part of this event,” Gutierrez said.
She aspires to be a basketball coach for women and will be transferring to Cal State Long Beach. She said this event helped the ELAC community.
Through the Turkey Trot Race and Food Drive, the Kinesiology Department was able to show the public they are now united as one group and aim to work together towards good causes.
Gamboa said it felt great to see staff and administration involved. With the help of the Kinesiology Department, he hopes to do it again next year.
