Start Thanksgiving off on the right foot at the 4^th Annual McHenry Turkey Trot. On Thanksgiving Day, you can trot along with McHenry County as it races to benefit JourneyCare Hospice & Palliative Services in memory of Carlene Siman, who lost her battle with cancer in November 2011.

To celebrate her memory, the annual 5K event began the year following Carlene’s passing and serves to thank the people at JourneyCare who provided care and support during the last weeks of her life. Since then, the Turkey Trot has donated $70,000 to the organization to help provide funds to support research and education programs, pediatric programs, integrative therapies programs and to cover costs for uninsured or underinsured patients. This year, the goal is to raise even more funds so JourneyCare can continue to provide compassionate, exceptional care to patients, families and everyone who needs their services, regardless of their inability to pay.

Registration is $30 per race participant when they register online, and $35 on the day of the race (cash or check only). The race begins at 8 a.m. on East Campus at McHenry High School, and each participant will receive long-sleeved race t-shirts, post-race raffle prizes and finish line photos. Medals will be awarded to the top three male and female finishers within nine age groups. There will also be cash prizes to overall top finishers in three categories.

In addition to race registration fees, there will be two other means of donating to the wonderful caretakers at Hospice. You can register for the Turkey Trot, make additional donations and find more information about the race online at www.mchenryturkeytrot.com.

Just a couple miles from McHenry High School and the Turkey Trot is Liberty Trails, a community of new homes nestled inside the quiet, rolling landscape of McHenry County. Currently, this community’s model home is available for immediate move in. This home, featuring the Jefferson floor plan, is priced at $379,900 and has two bedrooms and two bathrooms. For more information on this opportunity to live in popular McHenry County just in time for the holidays, give us a call today at 815-385-4495. You can learn more about Liberty Trails and other new home communities from Gerstad Builders at www.gerstadbuilders.com.