November 25, 2025 • 4 mins
Join over 6,000 of your closest friends to "move your feet before you eat," and raise money for the Grand Rapids Public Schools Foundation. President and CEO of the GRPS Foundation Stephanie Andrews joins us with details on how you can help.
More information can be found here: https://runsignup.com/Race/MI/GrandRapids/GRPSThanksgivingDayTurkeyTrot
More information can be found here: https://runsignup.com/Race/MI/GrandRapids/GRPSThanksgivingDayTurkeyTrot
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Just so you know, if you bring a decorated cookie
and you can be interviewed by Wood Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Yes, and maybe get like an extra minute.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
And for anybody that says, does that mean you're for sale? Yes, yeah,
yes we are.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Do you know how early it is? We haven't had
food yet.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
This is West Michigan's Morning News. Steve Kelly, Bretmakita, Lawrence
back with us soon with the Grand Rapids Public Schools Foundation.
The president and CEO of Stephanie Andrews. Thanks for coming
in today and bringing cookies.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
Thanks for having me. My steps On made those just
for you, guys.
Speaker 1 (00:32):
They are adorable and tasty. I just wanted to for
research and development, make sure that you guys knew you
it's a good batch this year.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
If that's not even polite.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
Speaking of this year, a record number of folks are
coming out for the Turkey Trot. Tell us a little
bit about Thursday's race.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
That's where we're hoping. Last year we hit sixty four
hundred runners and this year we're hoping for over that
and the race is on Thanksgiving morning and it's all
for the kids.
Speaker 4 (00:57):
I've done it and it's a lot of fun and
it's based around Van Adel Arena, so really accessible as
far as downtown with parking and everything that goes on
actual Turkey Day. And you do feel good about yourself
because then you go home. It's early in the morning.
You go home, right, you get ready for the meal
and Lions football, but you've already got your workout in.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
One hundred percent. Yes it is move your feet before
you eat is our tagline.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
I love it.
Speaker 3 (01:23):
So yeah, it's great. Right, like you said, we run
all the streets of Grand Rapids. It's a five k
so you know, get a couple three miles in and
you're good to go.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
But the most important thing outside of that your your
own digestive system, is that it helps kids. So talk
to us a little about how the foundation gives back
to GRPs when this thing is done.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
So this raise is a fundraiser for the kids of
grannrup Its public schools to be able to play sports
at no cost. It raises almost three hundred thousand dollars
to make sure that we can kids don't have to
pay to play sports. And there's over six thousand kids
in the public school system that taken me and this
program and it's so cool.
Speaker 4 (02:01):
You got a lot of sponsors that I know have
been with you for so many years, and you just
keep adding to that list that help out. Every little
bit helps. So take us through the basic details. And
the most important thing is people always ask this, right
is can I still sign up? They can still sign
up on Thanksgiving Day.
Speaker 3 (02:17):
So if you sign up between today and tomorrow, it's
thirty five bucks and forty dollars on Thanksgiving morning, and
you can still come down to the Vandan Arena that
morning if you decide that that's what you want to do.
When you wake up at seven am, run a five K.
So details are eight o'clock is the kids Mini Trot
brought to us by LMCU and the Blue Cross Blue
Shield five K is at eight thirty.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
So you run it or you can walk it, right, you.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
Can run walk trot, Yes, bring a stroller. We've been
asked that it's something for the entire family. We have
entire generations that have been doing this, some of them
have been doing it for thirty years.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
Wow.
Speaker 4 (02:53):
The mini trot is great too, and people get all
festive for it. They've got the turkey hats on, they
get dressed up for this. But what I love about
the mini trot doesn't cost anything, open to ages twelve
and under and parents can go around vand In and
Larino with the kids.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
It's a mini course if you will.
Speaker 4 (03:08):
But it really promotes what I know pe classes are doing.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
We talk about it with the kids.
Speaker 4 (03:12):
Run with the Riverbank run is getting kids moving right,
getting kids excited about running a walkie exactly.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
It's an opportunity for them to participate too, in a
way that their parents can tag alongside. We close three
streets to make that happen for them. It's grown so much.
Last year we had five hundred kids.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
Oh yeah, kids want to get involved.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
It's so fun and when they finished, they get a medal.
Speaker 1 (03:33):
We will put a link in the podcast section at
woodradio dot com where this interview will live for you
to sign up in order to get involved.
Speaker 4 (03:43):
And Steve, she just said something reminded me of We've
got to say this. This is the only race I know.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
Right.
Speaker 4 (03:48):
You get a medal usually or a trophy or something
if you win. What do they get if they win
for their age division?
Speaker 3 (03:53):
So age division awards, you get a trophy and you
also get an apple pie from Meyer.
Speaker 1 (03:59):
There you go, Steve with the Foundation, The President and
CEO of the Grand Rapid School Foundation, Stephanie Andrews. Great stuff,
thank you for coming in, Happy Thanksgiving.
Speaker 3 (04:08):
Happy Thanksgiving, thanks for having me.
Speaker 1 (04:10):
And there you go, friends, all for the price of
a cookie.
Speaker 2 (04:13):
Com On, Steve, you got to end it with your call.
There you go.
Just so you know, if you bring a decorated cookie
and you can be interviewed by Wood Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Yes, and maybe get like an extra minute.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
And for anybody that says, does that mean you're for sale? Yes, yeah,
yes we are.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Do you know how early it is? We haven't had
food yet.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
This is West Michigan's Morning News. Steve Kelly, Bretmakita, Lawrence
back with us soon with the Grand Rapids Public Schools Foundation.
The president and CEO of Stephanie Andrews. Thanks for coming
in today and bringing cookies.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
Thanks for having me. My steps On made those just
for you, guys.
Speaker 1 (00:32):
They are adorable and tasty. I just wanted to for
research and development, make sure that you guys knew you
it's a good batch this year.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
If that's not even polite.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
Speaking of this year, a record number of folks are
coming out for the Turkey Trot. Tell us a little
bit about Thursday's race.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
That's where we're hoping. Last year we hit sixty four
hundred runners and this year we're hoping for over that
and the race is on Thanksgiving morning and it's all
for the kids.
Speaker 4 (00:57):
I've done it and it's a lot of fun and
it's based around Van Adel Arena, so really accessible as
far as downtown with parking and everything that goes on
actual Turkey Day. And you do feel good about yourself
because then you go home. It's early in the morning.
You go home, right, you get ready for the meal
and Lions football, but you've already got your workout in.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
One hundred percent. Yes it is move your feet before
you eat is our tagline.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
I love it.
Speaker 3 (01:23):
So yeah, it's great. Right, like you said, we run
all the streets of Grand Rapids. It's a five k
so you know, get a couple three miles in and
you're good to go.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
But the most important thing outside of that your your
own digestive system, is that it helps kids. So talk
to us a little about how the foundation gives back
to GRPs when this thing is done.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
So this raise is a fundraiser for the kids of
grannrup Its public schools to be able to play sports
at no cost. It raises almost three hundred thousand dollars
to make sure that we can kids don't have to
pay to play sports. And there's over six thousand kids
in the public school system that taken me and this
program and it's so cool.
Speaker 4 (02:01):
You got a lot of sponsors that I know have
been with you for so many years, and you just
keep adding to that list that help out. Every little
bit helps. So take us through the basic details. And
the most important thing is people always ask this, right
is can I still sign up? They can still sign
up on Thanksgiving Day.
Speaker 3 (02:17):
So if you sign up between today and tomorrow, it's
thirty five bucks and forty dollars on Thanksgiving morning, and
you can still come down to the Vandan Arena that
morning if you decide that that's what you want to do.
When you wake up at seven am, run a five K.
So details are eight o'clock is the kids Mini Trot
brought to us by LMCU and the Blue Cross Blue
Shield five K is at eight thirty.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
So you run it or you can walk it, right, you.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
Can run walk trot, Yes, bring a stroller. We've been
asked that it's something for the entire family. We have
entire generations that have been doing this, some of them
have been doing it for thirty years.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
Wow.
Speaker 4 (02:53):
The mini trot is great too, and people get all
festive for it. They've got the turkey hats on, they
get dressed up for this. But what I love about
the mini trot doesn't cost anything, open to ages twelve
and under and parents can go around vand In and
Larino with the kids.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
It's a mini course if you will.
Speaker 4 (03:08):
But it really promotes what I know pe classes are doing.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
We talk about it with the kids.
Speaker 4 (03:12):
Run with the Riverbank run is getting kids moving right,
getting kids excited about running a walkie exactly.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
It's an opportunity for them to participate too, in a
way that their parents can tag alongside. We close three
streets to make that happen for them. It's grown so much.
Last year we had five hundred kids.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
Oh yeah, kids want to get involved.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
It's so fun and when they finished, they get a medal.
Speaker 1 (03:33):
We will put a link in the podcast section at
woodradio dot com where this interview will live for you
to sign up in order to get involved.
Speaker 4 (03:43):
And Steve, she just said something reminded me of We've
got to say this. This is the only race I know.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
Right.
Speaker 4 (03:48):
You get a medal usually or a trophy or something
if you win. What do they get if they win
for their age division?
Speaker 3 (03:53):
So age division awards, you get a trophy and you
also get an apple pie from Meyer.
Speaker 1 (03:59):
There you go, Steve with the Foundation, The President and
CEO of the Grand Rapid School Foundation, Stephanie Andrews. Great stuff,
thank you for coming in, Happy Thanksgiving.
Speaker 3 (04:08):
Happy Thanksgiving, thanks for having me.
Speaker 1 (04:10):
And there you go, friends, all for the price of
a cookie.
Speaker 2 (04:13):
Com On, Steve, you got to end it with your call.
There you go.
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