After a modified Turkey Bowl was held last Thanksgiving at Tel Hai Camp and Retreat in Honey Brook, the traditional event, featuring a 5K race and a 1-mile children's run, will return on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 25.

Last year, the 5K race was run with staggered start times that took place every 20 minutes. Chip timing was used to record the runners start and finish times. To accommodate the multiple 5K start times, the 1-mile children's run was not held.

Bruce Gregory, camp director, said organizers wanted to hold a live Turkey Bowl in 2020 rather than a virtual event. "Last year we had 223 total participants and we had 197 finishers in the 5K race," he stated. "Many (participants) commented that they appreciated being able to do a race in person instead of virtually. Second Wind Race Timing, our chip timing company, helped us with a modified version so we could do the race in person."

The 5K race this year will again take runners through the camp and around the lake. The course includes paved, gravel and grassy paths. While the course is primarily level, there are a few hills for runners to tackle.

The 1-mile children's fun run for youths age 12 and under will take place on the main grounds of the camp. Parents may run alongside their children at no charge.

Registration and race packet pickup will be held from 7:45 to 9:20 a.m. on Nov. 25 in the camp's dining hall. The fun run will begin at 9:10 a.m., followed by the 5K race at 9:40 a.m.

All children who complete the fun run will receive a finisher's medal. First-place trophies will be awarded to the overall female and male runners of the 5K. Medals will be given to the top three finishers in various age groups.

To register, visit http://www.telhaicamp.org/events/turkey-bowl-run. Online registration will end on Wednesday, Nov. 24. Participants may also print a registration form from the website and mail it to the camp, along with the registration fee.

As in previous years, all participants at the Turkey Bowl will be cheered on by the Tel Hai turkey mascot.

"This is the 30th year for the race and we are looking forward to another great year," Gregory stated.

The Thanksgiving Day run was started in 1992 by former camp program director Buzz Tyson, who is now director of the Lighthouse Youth Center in Oxford. The Turkey Bowl is sponsored by local businesses, which are listed at the event website.

Proceeds from the event are used to benefit Tel Hai Camp and Retreat, a nonprofit Christian camp that is a member of the Christian Camping and Conference Association.

The camp is located along Beaver Dam Road, 1.5 miles east of Route 10. The GPS address is 31 Lasso Drive, Honey Brook. For more information, visit the previously mentioned website or contact Gregory at 610-273-3969 or bruce@telhaicamp.org. More information is also available at http://www.facebook.com/TelHaiCampRetreat.