Neighbors Helping Neighbors
Starts With You
What began after the loss of a neighbor, Aaron Smith, has become a Thanksgiving morning tradition in Peters Township. Each year, our community gathers for a 5K to support local families facing difficult seasons - raising funds, sharing hope, and reminding people they’re not alone.
A Thanksgiving Morning Tradition That Changes Lives
Why We Exist
The Gratitude Run exists because of Aaron Smith.
When Aaron was diagnosed with cancer, the people who knew him - neighbors, friends, members of this community - felt that familiar ache of wanting to do something. Not just drop off a meal or send a card, but truly show up in a way that matched the weight of what his family was carrying. That desire to act, to channel love into something real, is where the Gratitude Run was born.
What started as a community rallying around one family became a question that wouldn't let go:
What if we could do this every year - for any family going through something hard?
Every Thanksgiving morning, our community laces up their shoes and runs together - not just for the exercise, but as a declaration that we see each other, and that we refuse to let our neighbors struggle alone.
Whether you run, donate, volunteer, sponsor, or nominate - every action you take puts support in the hands of someone in your community who needs it.
How It Works
Every path leads to a family.
Run or Walk
Show up Thanksgiving morning and move. Your registration directly supports local families.
Donate
Every dollar stays local and
goes directly to the families
we serve.
Volunteer
Be part of what makes the morning happen - from setup to race-day energy.
Sponsor
Put your business at the center of one of the most meaningful mornings in
the community.
Nominate a Family
Know someone going through a hard time? You can help connect them to support.
Impact at a Glance
Numbers tell part of the story. The rest happens on a cold Thanksgiving morning when hundreds of neighbors show up for one family.
Over $200,000 raised
Four local families supported
95%+ of every dollar goes directly
to families
It looks like medical bills paid.
It looks like kids supported.
It looks like a family sitting down to Thanksgiving dinner knowing their community had their back.
Featured Story
The Run That Started Everything
Aaron Smith was a neighbor. A friend. A member of this community who faced a cancer diagnosis with quiet strength.
When he passed away just weeks before the first Gratitude Run, his family showed up. So did the community. Hundreds of people ran together - not to race, but to surround a family with something that couldn't be put into words.
Event Snapshot
Thanksgiving Morning
Peterswood Park
9:00 AM
No bibs. No timing chips. No pressure.
Just a community showing up for something that matters.
Not the money.
Not the medals.
The fact that every single year, hundreds of people choose to start their holiday by doing something for someone else. That’s a community deciding, together, who they want to be.