Applied Materials Silicon Valley Turkey Trot

Specialties

Start Thanksgiving Day off on the right foot at the Applied Materials «Silicon Valley Turkey Trot». Before the big games, the big meal, the parades and the pies, why not get in a little exercise with a few thousand neighbors? It’s an event the whole family will enjoy! Many have made the «run» or «walk» a Thanksgiving Day tradition.

You’ll also be giving «thanks» by helping Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara, Mateo and Santa Cruz Counties, the Housing Trust Silicon Valley, Healthier Kids Foundation Santa Clara County and The Health Trust. These five provide families with their most basic needs for «health, hope, and a home.» The «Silicon Valley Turkey Trot», founded and produced by the Silicon Valley Leadership Group Foundation, is now in its 12^th year and the total amount given to charity has exceeded $ 5 million.

History

Established in 2005.

On Thanksgiving morning, 2004, Carl and Leslee Guardino heard a radio report announcing «20,000 people downtown running and walking to benefit the needy» in Sacramento. Carl turned to Leslee and said, «Somebody ought to do a race like that here.» Leslee gave Carl that look that said, «Maybe that somebody should be us.»

Reaching out to Bob Brownstein at Working Partnerships, a think-​tank arm of the Central Labor Council, a partnership was formed. Several months later, a major milestone occurred when Joe Pon of Applied Materials successfully championed to the company the idea of Applied serving as the Multi-​Year Title Sponsor. With a title sponsor, and then several branded co-​sponsors, the Applied Materials «Silicon Valley Turkey Trot «was born.

Three great initial local charities were selected that serve local residents — Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties, the Housing Trust Silicon Valley and the Healthier Kids Foundation.