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!
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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!
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Online registration begins in September and will be open until the day of the race. Follow our instagram for latest updates!
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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.
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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!
MEET THIS YEAR'S RECIPIENTS!
Tyrel Snow
Tyrel is deeply tied to the Vernal community and it's people. Born and raised in Jensen, he is the fifth-generation owner and operator of Stuntz Valley Ranch in Jensen, Utah. He married the love of his life, Jennifer, in 2006 and they have five beautiful children, all who all call Vernal their home.
In December 2024, Tyrel started experiencing bad stomach pain and initially thought it must be an ulcer. The pain progressively got worse and moved into his back. On Jan. 26, 2025, Tyrel was rushed to Salt Lake City with kidney failure. Two days later, he was diagnosed with stage 3 primary plasma cell leukemia and multiple myeloma — both aggressive blood cancers. Multiple myeloma is a cancer of the plasma cells, and primary plasma cell leukemia is a rare, more aggressive form of myeloma where abnormal plasma cells not only build up in the bone marrow but also spill into the bloodstream.
He immediately started aggressive, weekly chemo treatments. In mid-August he underwent an autologous stem cell/bone marrow transplant and stayed at Huntsman Cancer Institute until mid September. Unfortunately there are no cures for either of these blood cancers.
Since his diagnosis, Tyrel has been unable to work his job in oil and gas or work the long days the ranch requires.
However, his unwavering faith and unrelenting spirits combined with the support of his amazing family, friends, and the community, have kept the ranch going while he received treatment and continues to recover.
Tyrel continues to keep his faith and spends as much time with his family as he can.
"With God's grace I will continue to put one foot in front of the other."
Marisa Mills
In June of this year, while Marisa and her husband were away for a few days, she began experiencing some tenderness, swelling and heaviness in her right breast. She also noticed some tethering when lifting her arms. She dismissed it, thinking it was nothing to be concerned about.
She decided that she would mention it to her doctor at a regular appointment. Her doctor did a breast exam and didn't feel like there were any huge concerns, but that she would order an ultrasound just to be safe.
During her mammogram and ultrasound, the techs asked her many questions and she had multiple people check her. The doctors found a small spot that they decided to biopsy just to be safe.
The next day she got a call from her doctor. They told her the biopsy showed cancer and they would need to send the sample for more testing.
When she met with the surgeon, they felt confident that a lumpectomy would be adequate. But she could not find peace around just a lumpectomy and she elected for a double mastectomy. Although the doctors did not think this necessary, Marisa felt that she should proceed with the surgery.
On August 13th, she had a double mastectomy. When pathology came back, it showed cancer in both breasts and metastasis to one lymph node.
The name of her cancer is Invasive Lobular Carcinoma, (stage 2A, grade 2) also known as the "sneaky cancer" because of the way it grows, it is harder to detect and harder to see.
Marisa's future will include radiation and endocrine therapy (Ovary suppression and Aromatase Inhibitors) to help fight the remaining cancer cells.
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"I am so grateful that I get to fight and live!"
Kanyon Bowden
Kanyon has was born with a rare condition called Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC). This is a rare genetic disorder that causes tumors in many parts of the body. Luckily, these tumors are benign but can grow in the body at any time or place.
Symptoms vary widely, depending on where the growths develop and how big they get. Kanyon was diagnosed at 4 months old when he started having seizures. There is no cure for tuberous sclerosis, and the severity cannot be predicted. All they can do is treat symptoms. They do testing very often to keep good tabs on his tumors. Kanyon currently has tumors on his Brain, Eyes, Heart and kidneys. The ones in the brain cause epilepsy and seizures for which he needs to be on meds.
When Kanyon was 2-1/2 years old he had 2 strokes, one causing a brain bleed. They then found out Kanyon has a SECOND rare condition called Lambl Excrescences which means he has a blockage on the end of a heart valve which can cause strokes. This requires him to be on blood thinners. Unfortunately this condition also has no cure.
Kanyon also has a special marking on his face called a bone lesion. Since he was born it has grown tremendously and in the year and a half since his strokes it has closed off one side of his nose. They now must start the process of removal because it is still growing. He will have several surgeries in this process. His first surgery was in August where they put 3 ports in his head that are attached to what they call "balloon/face expanders" that stretch the skin on his head. This will help make good skin to put his face back together post-surgery. They currently travel weekly to fill the ports and expand his skin and will for at least 6 months . His nose will also take multiple surgeries.
Amidst all of this, Kanyon is a happy boy that helps people to love and understand anyone who looks different.
ABOUT US
Behind the Scenes
RANDI HONEYCUTT
Founder - "All the things"
ANNALEE FOSTER
Radio, editing - "The Brains"
KELLY MORRILL
Design - "The Webmaster"
ASHLEE COONRADT
Merch - "The Looks"
OUR STORY
Meet the Gobbler Girls!
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Randi Honeycutt and her husband BJ started this event over 10 years ago to support local families in need. Since, it has only grown and helped more and more families! "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!" 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 being a part of this event can change so many lives and Ashlee came to the march rescue in recent years. Since then they have created many many memories together helping numerous wonderful families in our home town.
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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.
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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!
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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!