Councilwoman Del Pepper Named Grand Marshal of 46th Annual Alexandria Turkey Trot
5-mile walk/run begins at 9 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 25
ALEXANDRIA, VA – Councilwoman Del Pepper has served the City of Alexandria and the Del Ray community for 36 years. In honor of her service, City Council’s longest-serving incumbent has been chosen as the Grand Marshal of the 46th Annual Alexandria Turkey Trot.
Elected in 1985, she was an aide to then-Mayor Charles E. Beatley. The former social worker was vice mayor from 1996-1997, 2003-2006, and 2007-2009. Dedicated to helping others, Pepper is an active member of local committees including the Commission on Aging and Commission on Information Technology, She also co-chairs the Beauregard Street Corridor Task Force, the Alexandria-Arlington Task Force on the Waste-To-Energy Plant, and the Welfare Reform Committee.
Pepper announced last year that she would not seek reelection.
“No one shows up for our Alexandria small businesses, non-profits, and community events more than Del Pepper,” said Lauren Fisher, President of the Del Ray Business Association. “In this season of gratitude, we wanted to recognize and thank Del for her long-time support of the Alexandria Turkey Trot, and for her life-long dedication to making the City of Alexandria the best place to live and work.”
Set to take place on Thursday, Nov. 25 at 9 a.m., the Alexandria Turkey Trot is a Thanksgiving morning tradition. In past years, it has included more than 5,000 runners. The event is known as the Mid-Atlantic’s premiere Turkey Trot. The five-mile run/walk’s course goes through the heart of Del Ray, with its start and finish at George Washington Middle School (1005 Mt. Vernon Ave).
The event is Metro accessible via the Braddock Road station.
Dogs and strollers are welcome, and have their own staging area.
In the spirit of the holiday, runners and spectators are asked to support ALIVE! by bringing non-perishable food items. ALIVE! is a non-profit that assists Alexandria residents in need. The 2019 Turkey Trot -the most recent in-person Turkey Trot – raised over $6,000 for the organization. In addition, participants donated more than 2,000 pounds of food.
The event also serves as the primary fundraiser of the Del Ray Business Association, which hosts many community events throughout the year and represents independently-owned restaurants and businesses in the city.
Want to participate? Register at alexandriaturkeytrot.com. Pre-registration is advised.
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