Why we gobble...
WHEN: Thanksgiving morning 9am
WHERE: UBTech Campus (320 Aggie Boulevard Vernal,UT 84078)
WHY: Proceeds of this event benefit each year's recipient families! We choose local people in need and raise funds for them.
This event is the perfect start to your Thanksgiving morning!
It starts at 9am on the morning of Thanksgiving at UBTech college on 320 Aggie Boulevard in Vernal, UT. At the event, there are lots of opportunities to donate, participate in raffles, purchase gobbler merch, mingle and have refreshments!
Registration and ticket purchase are available prior to the event online and the morning of the race, in person starting at 8am.
The registration fee is $25 and 100% of the proceeds go to the families in need. The purchase of raffle tickets is also donated 100% as all the items for raffle have been donated by local businesses and residents! Gobbler merch and T-shirts are available for purchase prior to the event on the website. A limited amount of merchandise will be available the day of the race as well as vintage merchandise from prior years!
Online registration begins in September and will be open until the day of the race. Follow our instagram for latest updates!
Each registrant will need to sign a liability waiver which is included in your registration. Registrants this year will receive a medal and finisher prize while supplies last.
We are so grateful for each sponsor, family, runner, business and individual that participates in this event! We always say "little by little a little adds up to a lot." Any and all donations can help them get through the hard times but seeing the generosity of people around them will help heal their hearts. As a collective whole we an be a shoulder to lean on during some of their hardest times. Come participate in our comm"UNITY" gobbler run Thanksgiving morning!
Recipient Families
Thanksgiving Day November 24th, 2022
Trevor Harbison
In June 2021, Trevor Harbison (a local to Vernal) started dealing with unexplained health issues. Back pain, and stomach problems lead him from one doctor to another without any relief or explanation. After having his gallbladder removed with no relief, he was sent via ambulance in March of this year due to a blocked common bile duct. Biopsies taken during surgery revealed stage 2 Pancreatic cancer. Although a relief to know the cause of his constant pain, stomach issues and weight loss, he has a long road ahead. Eight rounds of chemotherapy still rendered his tumor unresectable so he was sent to a specialist in Minnesota. He is doing several more rounds of chemotherapy and radiation to prep him for a major surgery to remove the tumor along with several major organs.
Due to ongoing health problems related his diagnosis he had been unable to work since the beginning of 2022. This family is wonderful, he has a wife and 2 kids (ages 5 and 2). Let us help ease this horrible burden!
Justin Aiono-Mamea
In February of this year, Justin (then a junior at Uintah High) was diagnosed with MPAL Leukemia. This type of cancer is a mixed “phenotype” which includes multiple types of the disease. Since his diagnosis, he has undergone 5 rounds of chemotherapy, each different and each designed to target a type of his cancer.
As a member of a family of 7, this diagnosis has been extremely hard on his siblings. They have made countless trips to Salt Lake for treatment, one of the most recent being a bone marrow transplant from his youngest sister Jade (age 13). The whole family rallied together as Justin’s underwent intensive radiation to prep for the subsequent transplant from his sister he is forever grateful to.
Now that the transplant is complete, Justin and his mom remain in Salt Lake for 100 days post transplant. Justin is enrolled in online school to try and complete his senior year and hopefully attend graduation with his classmates. Let’s help him get there!
2021 Gobbler recipients
Ali Dudley
The Dudley family had grand plans for 2021, but cancer had a different plan for them.... Ali was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer in May of this year. She has since undergone 8 rounds of very aggressive chemo and will undergo a double mastectomy before the the Gobbler this year.
Anyone who knows Ali knows that she has a giant heart and is the biggest advocate for women and their health, both physical and mental. Anyone who works with Ali and her team would tell you she has a way to make you feel absolutely gorgeous on the inside and on the outside (and we all know that works wonders on the self esteem)!
Although Ali has been through some of the most aggressive chemo therapy there is, she has not skipped a beat on either of her jobs. She works full time for Harrington Beech Law and still finds time to empower women through boudoir shoots and family photography.
Her husband Morgan and daughters, Sadie and Cydnee help immensely to get her through these times.
Let's rally around Ali and her family and show them the same love and support!!
Alan Howell
Sandra and Alan Howell live in Vernal with their 4 daughters, Alyssa (16), Jenna (12), and twins Amanda and Kadee (6). In 2019 Alan started falling down frequently and for no apparent reason. After extensive and costly testing at the University of Utah hospital, they still have more questions than answers. The only thing they know for certain is Alan's condition is extremely rare, and his physical mobility is rapidly deteriorating. Prior to his health issues, Alan worked as a truck driver and Sandra worked for the hospital. Now, Sandra works from home to allow her to be a full time caregiver to Alan who is no longer able to work, and homeschool their girls. Even though they're struggling themselves, the Howell family makes and sells the most delicious caramels, and are frequently donating the money from selling those caramels to other families in need.
Angie Stubbs
In October 2020, Angie lost her husband to suicide leaving her and their two sons. The next February, Angie began to feel unusual pain in her right ankle and soon after in her jaw. These were mis-diagnosed as tendonitis and TMJ. Then in June she was diagnosed with what looked to be bone cancer. While on her way to a doctor's appointment, Angie fell into Diabetic ketoacidosis. Soon after, they found that she did not have bone cancer as they thought, but Stage 4 Esophageal Cancer in multiple locations in her body.
At the time, she was unable to walk and going through radiation drained what little energy she had. Soon after she started Chemotherapy. While re-learning to walk, she dealt with constant pain, nausea and exhaustion among other things. Angie was put on hospice in summer of 2022 and recently passed.
She said she "has learned that the smallest good thought helps" and lived a grateful life with her family. Her request to us is that everyone give hugs and flowers to their loved ones.
BEHIND THE SCENES...
Meet the Honeycutts
OUR STORY
Meet the Honeycutts!
Former owners of New Look Salon, BJ and Randi had found ways to contribute to the community through their business. From Relay for life to Trees for Charity to bake sales and more, they have always gone beyond the basic giving. About 15 years ago, tragedy hit close to home after very dear friends of Bj & Randis had cancer strike their family. That is when they decided it would be a good idea to host a 5k on Thanksgiving morning! What better way to earn your pie and give "Thanks" for what you have while "Giving" to those in need!
Every year this event gets bigger and bigger and
helps more and more people.
"We don't HAVE to do this, we GET to do this," Randi says when asked why she does it. "Yes it can be hard to leave family and run in the cold on Thanksgiving morning, but we are going to show up to help those battling cancer, illness, tragedy or loss of a loved one. It's one day to show them we care. They don't get a choice. We do!"
Come run, walk, bawk or squawk your way to the finish line. Honestly, we don't even care if you step foot on the course, it's about showing up for each other!
Meet the gobbler girls
OUR STORY
Meet the Gobbler Girls!
Gill and Annalee came to Randi's rescue just after the event was founded. Kelly has joined forces with the girls in recent years after seeing how seeing how being a part of this event can change so many lives. Since then they have created many many memories together helping numerous wonderful families in our home town.
Each year these girls end up being the face of the gobbler because of all the time and effort they spend in the community gathering sponsorships, doing radio ads, creating and gathering raffle items for the event and taking care of the many tiny details that no one would even think about.
Although these girls help out in the open, there are many many local businesses and volunteers that lend a helping hand both behind the scenes and at the event. The gobbler girls always want to recognize each individual that plays a part in pulling off the Gobbler!
Every single donation, every single racer, every single volunteer and every penny donated makes a huge impact on these families each year. Little by little, a little always adds up to a lot!