LICKING COUNTY, Ohio — Running the Turkey Trot has been a Thanksgiving morning tradition for the Biehle family for nearly 10 years.
What You Need To Know
- According to Feeding America, more than 38 million people are food insecure
- Organizations across the country worked to help their neighbors feed their families this Thanksgiving
- The Look Up Center in Newark has been helping families in need since 2004
- Hundreds of volunteers delivered meals to more than 1,000 individuals Thanksgiving morning
“We go to downtown Granville and we Turkey Trot,” said Kelli Biehle, a Granville resident. “And we really do enjoy it.”
Biehle is the owner of Granville Yoga and practices gratitude and compassion toward others on a daily bases. This year, she wanted to involve her family in giving back even more. Instead of running, they cooked a 17-pound turkey and a few pies — not for themselves, but for families in need throughout Licking County.
Photo courtesy of the Biehle Family
“Our attention right now is not on what do we have, what do we need, what else do we need for our meal tonight, but it’s like, ‘oh, my husband is at the store right now buying the foil pie plates that we need to be able to make the pies to give to somebody else.’ So it’s that shift in perspective,” said Biehle. “So sometimes this is what it [yoga] looks like. This is an external practice as far as I’m concerned.”
They volunteered through the Look Up Center in Newark. It’s a faith-based nonprofit that’s been helping families in need since 2004.
Lori Hubble
“Every single thing that we do for this is volunteer-based,” said Lori Hubble, executive director of the Look Up Center. “They are the heartbeat of what happens here. We serve many people in our community through several different outreaches. From teaching the skilled trades to a dental clinic, vision clinic, opportunity store, lots of children’s programs and many other programs throughout the year.”
The Thanksgiving Day meal delivery is one of Hubble’s favorite outreaches.
“This is one of the most fun ministries that we do, one of the most fun days of the year,” said Hubble. “It’s just so great to see everybody come together in our community, and just be able to serve. That’s really being thankful for what we have and thankful that we’re able to help others.”
More than 1,000 people got a traditional Thanksgiving meal delivered to their door.
“Turkey and gravy and mashed potatoes and green beans and rolls and pie so they get quite a feast,” said Hubble. “Thanksgiving, of course, is always a special day. But being hungry any day is never acceptable. So anytime you have a chance to bless someone with food or a meal, or just sometimes it’s just listening, just being there, just seeing somebody that day.”
The Biehle family is one of hundreds of volunteers who helped make the Thanksgiving meal deliveries possible. This is their first year volunteering with the nonprofit.
“We do feel like we’re in a blessing bubble around here,” said Biehle. “It was important to our family to really look outside our little bubble and feel like how could we engage outside of, you know, our own address our own family, and be involved in a little bit different ways.”
Biehle’s mom, Karen Smith, is empathetic toward those who experience hardships and said she wants to instill values of kindness and generosity in her grandchildren.
“We tend to think that the world revolves around us. And what makes us happy. And the world does not revolve around us. So it’s good,” said Smith. “They’re good kids. And I think that we reinforce all the time that they know that this is not all about us and all about them. And I’m proud of them.”
Her grandchildren already seem to be learning the values.
“That’s what the holidays are all about is doing things for other people because we spend so much time about ourselves for the rest of the year,” said Alana Biehle, 16.
“It’s going to make me happy to know that everyone gets a meal cause I don’t like walking by and seeing people who don’t have as much as we do,” said Emma Biehle, 11. “The world needs a lot more kindness.”
Through a hot meal and a smile, the Biehle family highlighted the importance of giving back and reminding the world that there’s a lot more that brings us together than pulls us apart.
“We are in a world of such polarization, we’re always pointing out our differences. And we’re so spread apart,” said Kelli Biehle. “I think one of the best ways to bring us a little bit closer is to be in community and giving to each other because it’s really hard to be you know, arguing and mad at the person who’s making you a pie.”
The Look Up Center offers other programs and events throughout the year. For more information, click here.
