By Khalida Sarwari
San Jose residents will have an opportunity to work up an appetite for Thanksgiving dinner and also help three charities by participating in a Turkey Trot in downtown San Jose this morning.
Nearly 9,500 residents are expected to participate in the fifth annual Silicon Valley Turkey Trot sponsored by technology company Applied Materials.
Company spokeswoman Patricia Vera said the event is great for all ages and is becoming a Silicon Valley tradition.
Applied Materials chairman and CEO Mike Splinter will kick-off the event, featuring a 5K run and walk, a 10K run, a 5K race with six Olympians as well as world-class runners from across the world, separate competitions for police, firefighters, celebrity CEOs, companies and government officials, a kids fun run, a canned food collection drive and a costume contest.
Registration is $35 for adults and $10 for children. The race will begin at 7:30 a.m. at the Confluence Meadow at Guadalupe River Park.
The goal is to raise $250,000 for the Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo counties, the Housing Trust of Santa Clara County and the Children’s Health Initiative of the Santa Clara Family Health Foundation.