Getting out for a little exercise can be a fine way to kick off the Thanksgiving holiday, especially when it benefits a good cause. For a few years now on Thanksgiving Day, a group of area families and friends have been holding an informal trail run at Damariscotta River Association’s (DRA’s) Great Salt Bay Farm.

The tradition continues this year, with a twist: the event will benefit Twin Villages Foodbank Farm (TVFF). The 5K trail run and 1-mile walk/fun run, organized by volunteers, will be held at 9 a.m. on Nov. 22 and is open to runners and walkers of all ages. Well-behaved dogs on leashes are also welcome.

The 5K course is on broad mown trails with gentle hills, making two loops around the fields at DRA’s scenic Great Salt Bay Farm.

There is no fee to participate, though monetary donations to TVFF are encouraged. Preregistration is a great help to the volunteer organizers and may be done online at http://bit.ly/foodbank-farm-5K. Participants may also sign up the day of the race.

TVFF’s mission is to grow and distribute healthy food for those who need it most in Lincoln County. TVFF serves pantries in Newcastle, Jefferson, Boothbay, Wiscasset, Waldoboro, and Whitefield, and youth food programs including FARMS At The Y’s after-school snack program, Newcastle Head Start, Boothbay’s Backpack program, and Wiscasset’s Morris Farm School Cooking program.

The Farm operates in close partnership with Damariscotta River Association. DRA donates use of its prime farmland at Great Salt Bay Farm for growing and provides administrative, fundraising and communications support.

A non-profit, membership supported, and nationally accredited land trust and conservation organization, DRA is dedicated to preserving and promoting the natural, cultural, and historical heritage of the Damariscotta region, centered on the Damariscotta River. 

DRA has active programs in the areas of land conservation, stewardship, community education, water quality monitoring, marine conservation and cultural preservation. Learn more at www.damariscottariver.org.

To donate to TVFF, please contact Sara Cawthon at scawthon@twinvillagesfarm.org. Secure donations may also be made online at www.twinvillagesfarm.org.