ANDOVER – The Feaster Five Road Race – a Thanksgiving Day tradition that annually attracts thousands of runners and walkers – is proud to announce that the 2022 event raised $50,000 for local community organizations and non-profits.
The 35th Annual Feaster Five Road Race was presented by Schneider Electric and hosted by the Merrimack Valley Striders running club. The 2022 race featured nearly 7,000 participants in the 5K, 5 mile and kids fun run.
At the March 1 monthly meeting of the Merrimack Valley Striders running club, the Feaster Five volunteer run organizing committee presented checks to the race beneficiaries.
The Feaster Five was proud to support:
- The Merrimack Valley Striders high school scholarship fund which provides $2,000 scholarships to 10 local student athletes each year.
- The Merrimack Valley YMCA
- Bellesini Academy of Lawrence, an independent middle school supporting students of financial need in Lawrence
- Groundwork Lawrence, a non-profit that provides environmental and open space improvements, fresh food access programs, youth and adult education and employment initiatives, and community programming and events.
- Scholarships for the youth X-Country Project summer program
Additionally, $10,000 was donated to the Town of North Andover to support maintenance and upkeep at the North Andover high school track, completing a 5-year, $50,000 commitment from the Merrimack Valley Striders.
“The Merrimack Valley Striders would like to thank everyone who registered and supported the Feaster Five Road Race,” said Robin Condon, Striders’ club president. “The community support we receive to put on this race – from the hundreds of volunteers to the public safety officers, and those who come out and cheer on the runners – is amazing. Because of that support, we can give back to the communities we love so much.”
The Feaster Five started in 1988 with a few hundred runners and over the years has grown into the largest and most recognized Thanksgiving Day race in Massachusetts.
The 35th annual event in 2022 proved to be a great success following the COVID-impacted years. The race featured Olympian and Marathoner Bill Rodgers as the Grand Marshal.
Proceeds from the race, along with additional donations from participants, allowed the Feaster Five to make this significant investment back into the community.
“The organizational values of the Feaster Five and the Merrimack Valley YMCA and all the beneficiaries align beautifully,” said Claudia Soo Hoo, chief operating officer of the Y. “Because of the Feaster Five’s support, the Y is able to deepen its impact through serving healthy meals to people in the community, providing access to our Y facilities to ensure the health and wellbeing of all, offering camp, childcare, and leadership development experiences to our youth and teens, and so much more. We want to thank the Feaster Five for their continued partnership and commitment to the Merrimack Valley YMCA and the communities we collectively serve.”
“Bellesini Academy’s decade-long partnership with the Feaster Five Thanksgiving Day Road Race and the Merrimack Valley Striders has been a wonderful blessing to our school and the young men and women we serve in Lawrence,” said Julie Difilippo, Head of School at Bellesini Academy. “The Feaster Five is a one-of-a-kind event that brings people together to have fun, enjoy exercise, celebrate family and community, and make a difference in the lives of those served by the race beneficiaries. It’s an honor for our school community to work at the water stop each year, and our students and their families love supporting the runners and cheering them on their way to the finish line. Bellesini’s students and staff enjoy coming up with fun ways to encourage people to register, and this past year they had a great time creating a video with students sharing the “top ten reasons to run the Feaster Five”. Our participation in the race is a highlight of our school year!”
“Groundwork Lawrence is proud to partner with MVS and the Feaster Five to continue to promote healthy active lifestyles for all,” said Lesly Melendez, Executive Director, Groundwork Lawrence. “We are grateful for the opportunity to be a beneficiary again this past year and look forward to continuing to partner.”
The Feaster Five is managed by DMSE Sports, led by race director Dave McGillivray, who also serves as race director for the Boston Marathon.
Along with presenting sponsor Schneider Electric, the volunteer-led Feaster Five received generous support from our sponsors: Whirlaway Sports; Race Roster; Pfizer; 6K, Inc.; Salem Five; St. John’s Prep; Cedar’s Foods; Off Season Sports and Physical Therapy; Costa Foods; Bill DeLuca Chevrolet; Table Talk Pies; Coca-Cola Beverages Northeast; Hastings, Jamieson, Lipschutz Family Law Group; Burton’s Grill; Eastern Bank; and Pentucket Bank; Shokz, and Fox Pest Control.
Planning for the 36th annual Feaster Five is already underway! Race day is Thursday, November 23, 2023. Registration will open in July. Visit www.feasterfive.com for event details.
About the Feaster Five Road Race
The Feaster Five Road Race is the largest Thanksgiving Day road race in Massachusetts. Since 1988, the Feaster Five has drawn tens of thousands of participants annually who take part in the 5k or 5 miler walk/run. This race brings together the community and beyond for a fun filled morning of running miles and consuming plenty of pie. It is a longstanding tradition of many families to participate in the race each year. The Feaster Five Road Race is hosted by the Merrimack Valley Striders, a 400+ member running organization founded in 1979. Proceeds from the race benefit the Striders’ high school scholarship fund, local charities, and initiatives in the surrounding communities.