PLNU celebrates Veterans Day with first-ever Turkey Trot

Point Loma Nazarene University’s Associated Student Body teamed up with the Run Club and Student Veterans of America (SVA) for a Veterans Day Turkey Trot on Saturday, making it the first Veterans Day event hosted by SVA.

On Nov. 8, trumpet sounds of “Reveille” played at the base of the Young Hall parking lot just before 8 a.m., where about five SVA members lined up for their sprint up Young Hill. At the start of the hour, they began their incline with fast strides, making their way up to the Greek Amphitheatre within minutes.

There were handshakes and high fives passed around as they completed the Young Hill sprint. 

“The run [up Young Hill] was a challenge; we knew it was going to be hard and a climb which we knew was representative to our walk of life,” SVA Vice President Christopher Coleman, a fourth-year psychology major, said.

Coleman described the community that comes with being a veteran. 

“We were all able to get together at the end and cheer each other on,” he said. “A lot of us were a part of the SVA, so it was really fun and our brotherhood.”

At 9 a.m., runners slowly started to gather on Caf Lane beside Cunningham Lawn for the 5K run. Students dressed in greens and yellows, along with red, white and blue costumes, lined up at the starting line, each with numbers attached to their chests. The horn went off, and the runners of Run Club, ASB and SVA began their way around campus.

As a reward, pancakes, bananas and hot coffee were provided at the breakfast booth by ASB. Some students scattered throughout the track to cheer on their fellow students participating in the run.

“We are here to be the Turkey Trot hype squad — Go! You are a machine! You got this! I feel much more useful doing this than running,” Betsy Sonneland, a fourth-year visual arts major and Hooligans team member, said.

Chuck Loma, a second-year finance major and Hooligans team member, said, “[This event] is not like super ‘veterany,’ but I think the foundation of it in recognizing the veterans is super important. A Turkey Trot is something active and challenging, which kind of suits honoring a piece of veterans’ lives.”

Elly Heskett, a fourth-year psychology major and Run Club co-president talked about the mesh between a Thanksgiving-themed run in honor of the veterans. 

“SVA was planning a veterans run already, and we planned this [Turkey Trot] on the same day, so we thought it would be the perfect collab,” Heskett said. Any way of celebrating [Veterans Day] you can is the best way. Obviously, we won’t ever be able to go through what [the veterans] did, but being able to celebrate it and honoring them in whatever form you choose, I think, is a good thing to do.”

Coleman said he was thankful for this opportunity.

“Luckily, the Lord blessed us with this collaboration,” Coleman said. “Us at SVA … found out there were two runs happening at the same time, so we were able to collaborate, put our funds together and create an environment and opportunity for everyone to run.”

The morning quickly filled in with many cheers, tunes and heavy breaths as runners made their way across the finish line and toward the breakfast booth.

While many participants were SVA, ASB and Run Club members. Other students outside of these affiliations ran the 5K, mingled, ate breakfast and reflected on the run together at the tables spread out on Cunningham Lawn.

Cate Alexander, a first-year undeclared major, said she came as part of the Run Club.

“I’d definitely do it again next year and bring my friends,” Alexander said.

With plans of the Trot becoming a recurring event, Coleman spoke on other ways to honor Veterans this year and how to support them in the years to come.

“Veterans Day is Nov. 11, so call all the ones you love who have served and just remember everyone who has worn the uniform,” Coleman said. “That’s why we are here today. We definitely plan to do this the weekend before Veterans Day every year.”