Kauai Path Kaua'i Coastal Path

The Garden Island Newspaper | story and photos by Dennis Fujimoto | November 23, 2012 

KAPA‘A — Cindy Coco of Chicago said it was a good thing organizers of the 2012 Turkey Trot planned their event Thanksgiving morning at Kapa‘a Beach Park. “We’ve been doing Turkey Trots at different places for the past four years,” said Coco, who had her daughters, Katrina, Taylor and Jennifer, join her at the park.

above: Cindy Coco of Chicago, Illinois and her daughters Katrina, Taylor and Jennifer of New Orleans, show off their 'Traveling Turkey Trot shirt which shows the destinations of their previous four trots, Thursday at the Kapaa Beach Park. below: Participants in the 2012 Turkey Trot leave the Kapaa Beach Park staging area onto the multi use path.

Participants in the 2012 Turkey Trot admire the sunrise, Thanksgiving morning at the Kapa`a Beach Park.

Rick Eftink of Des Moines, Iowa, Dena Furst of Iowa, Craig Daniels of Colorado and Tina Danielson of Colorado show off their 'Thanksguzzling' Turkey Trot shirts, Thursday at the 2012 Turkey Trot in the Kapaa Beach Park.

 “We found this one on the Internet, and if it wasn’t for this, we would probably have had to run our own 5K.” Cindy said they flew to Kaua‘i last Friday and have been doing a lot of hiking and enjoying the beaches, noting a hike to the Sleeping Giant was in order following the Turkey Trot because the weather was so nice.

Described as an informal 5K, 10K, Fun Walk, Run or Bike event, the event was free and open to the public with donations accepted for the Kauai Path, or a canned good or non-perishable food item for the Hale Ho‘omalu family center located in Kapa‘a across from the Kapa‘a Shopping Center.

More than 500 people took advantage of the offer for free early morning exercise and fun in the crisp, clear November morning, including Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr., who showed up in a purple T-shirt, purple being the official color of Kaua‘i.

Tommy Noyes of the Kaua‘i Path said they had 500 bracelets for Turkey Trot participants but it was all gone early.

“It’s really a low key event,” said Sandi O’Shaughnessy of Iron Lotus Fitness, one of the organizers. “People can dress up, have their strollers, dress up their strollers, run, walk and just be with the community on Thanksgiving.”

above:  Organizers of the 2012 Turkey Trot including Sandi O'Shaughnessy of Iron Lotus Fitness, Jeni Kaohelaulii of Work It Out, June Kaohelaulii, Dr. Randy Blake of the Kauai Path, Jasmine Kaohelaulii and Tommy Noyes of the Kauai Path show off the collection of food for the Hale Ho`omalu family center, Thanksgiving morning. below:  The accumulation of food for Hale Ho`omalu family center grows as more than 500 participants register for the free 2012 Turkey Trot, Thanksgiving morning at the Kapaa Beach Park.

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The Bobby Thompson family took advantage of the dress up part, everyone wearing something related to Native Americans. Bobby said he had ended the week helping to string holiday lights in the historic County Building park with Hawaiian Telcom, noting this is the second year the family was participating.

Another ‘ohana, comprised of members from Iowa and Colorado, donned special “14th Annual Thanksguzzling” shirts for the event. Rick Eftink of Des Moines, Iowa, and Dena Furst of Iowa were joined by Craig Daniels and Tina Danielson of Colorado for the event, which spilled onto the Ke Ala Hele Makalae, the Eastside bicycle path. “Dena and Tina, she’s the serious runner, were from the same hometown and when Tina moved to Colorado, we just stayed in touch and do Thanksgiving,” Eftink said. During the 14 years, the quartet has enjoyed Thanksgiving together, with Thanksguzzling taking them to places in Canada, Greece, California, Colorado, and for 2012, Kaua‘i. “We thought we were going to do another place in Colorado this year,” said Daniels. “But when I suggested Hawai‘i, no one argued and here we are.”

  8. The Thanksgiving Day sunrise silhouettes some of the more than 500 participants in the 2012 Turkey Trot at the Kapaa Beach Park.