Each November on the Monday before Thanksgiving, the Turkey Trot takes place on the trails at Southwestern Michigan College’s Dowagiac campus.

Michiana’s oldest race, founded in 1967 by the Roadrunner Track Club, starts at 4:30 p.m. on Nov. 25 and is open to the community, high school students and their coaches and SMC students and employees.

Related events race day include a turkey toss (whoever hurls it the farthest wins the bird) and s’mores on the patio at 3 p.m. during check-in and a pie-eating contest afterward at 5, followed by the 5:30 awards ceremony.

Student Activity Center Director Shawn Rawson said the wellness event typically enrolls 225 to 300 participants.

There is no deadline to register, but all participants are encouraged to sign up early to save time on race day.

Race-day registration will be available from 3 to 4:15 p.m. in the Student Activity Center gymnasium in the Charles O. Zollar Building.

Online registration will be available at www.swmich.edu/turkeytrot.

T-shirt purchases are online only and not available race day.

All participants who register online have the ability to purchase Turkey Trot T-shirts. Long-sleeve shirts are priced at $8; $6 for short sleeves.

All participants must check in at the registration area prior to the 5K and 8K race beginning.

All proceeds collected will be directed to the student-led Hunger Awareness Mission (HAM) to benefit Cass County food pantries.

Monetary donations can be made with online registration as well as the day of the event. Donations of food items are discouraged due to the perishable nature of many items.

HAM representatives will be on site to collect money, as well as bring awareness to ongoing food pantries needs.

Area high school students and coaches and SMC students and employees compete for free; community members, $5.

A “special treat” will be awarded to all finishers.