Many University of New Mexico students, staff and faculty will start Thanksgiving by moving this year.
More than 1,000 walkers and runners are expected to join the Native Health Initiative (NHI) for the 7th Annual Gratitude Run/Walk at Albuquerque’s North Domingo Baca starting at 9 a.m. on Thanksgiving morning. The event is free, family-oriented and open to all speeds and abilities.
“I am excited to get out and express gratitude through movement,” says Anita Fernander, PhD, the UNM School of Medicine’s new executive diversity officer.
“You can never have too much gratitude,” said NHI co-director Anthony Fleg, MD, associate professor in the Department of Family & Community Medicine.
“We wanted to create a new version of a Thanksgiving walk and run, one centered on celebrating our community, not as much on competition,” Fleg said. “We wanted to take cost out of the equation and put gratitude at the core of the event.”
The Gratitude Run/Walk will feature live music from the North Valley Tune Tanglers, food and hot beverages from Kickstand Café, a Gratitude/Kids Zone, and a 360-degree photo booth operated by Spaces Enchanted. There are also unique ways for people to express their gratitude, such as color-your-own Gratitude Run race bibs.
Registration is free and can be done on-site.
Participants are encouraged to bring non-perishable foods and clothing donations which will go to the Veteran’s Integration Center and Jemez Pueblo. Participants can also bring monetary donations to support NHI’s love-grounded work to improve health in Indigenous communities.
The event’s title sponsors are Bernalillo County Commissioner Adrian Barboa along with Presbyterian Community Health. The UNM Health Sciences Committee on External Affairs also serves as a sponsor for this year’s event.
