Thursday, October 1, 2026
79 ° Clear
79 ° Clear
Pine Road Elementary School is combining movement and meaning this November as students lace up their sneakers for the school’s first-ever Turkey Trot, while simultaneously kicking off its annual Holiday Food Drive to benefit families in need.
The two initiatives, led by School Counselor Shannon Dallahan and Physical Education teacher Alana Floyd, represent Pine Road’s ongoing commitment to service learning, helping young students understand empathy, teamwork, and the joy of giving back to their community.
“This food drive has become part of Pine Road’s tradition,” said Dallahan. “It started in 2018 when my former counseling partner, Christina Harris, brought the idea to our school. We’ve done it every year since. It’s a schoolwide effort, and this year we’re hoping to collect even more by tying it in with our new Turkey Trot.”
The annual food drive began as a way to support families within the district who could use some extra help around the holidays. Over the years, it has grown, benefiting not only local families but also the Willow Grove Baptist Food Pantry, which serves hundreds of households across Montgomery County.
Dallahan explained that Pine Road’s long history of service learning has always been rooted in compassion and collaboration. “Pine Road teachers Jody Bell, Fernanda Lemos, and Rachel Thierolf facilitate many service projects each year collecting donations for the Humane Society, winter coats for children, hygiene items for homeless shelters, even organizing Martin Luther King Day of Service activities,” she said. “This food drive continues that legacy.”
This year, with the addition of Floyd’s Turkey Trot, the school hopes to boost donations even more. The event will take place in November; Pine Road families can refer to communication they receive from school for dates and details.
“I’m new to Pine Road this year, and I wanted to create something that not only got the kids active but also connected to a larger purpose,” said Floyd. “When I heard about the food drive, I thought it would be a great idea to pair the two together. It’s about giving back while also celebrating fitness and fun.”
Floyd explained that the Turkey Trot is designed for students in kindergarten through third grade. The event won’t focus on distance or competition; instead, it will highlight cooperation, encouragement, and participation.
“The big thing with our physical education curriculum is teamwork,” Floyd said. “We just finished a unit on cooperation; working together, cheering for others, even when you’re not the one winning. The Turkey Trot builds on that. It’s about running for a cause, cheering for your peers, and feeling proud that your effort is helping others.”
Each student will receive a Turkey Trot race bib to color and decorate, complete with a space to write “Running for a Cause.” Students are encouraged to wear turkey hats or festive fall attire. During the event, children will rotate through stations including warm-up and cool-down zones, while parents cheer from the sidelines.
“There’s no set distance; the kids will run or walk for six minutes, at their own pace,” said Floyd. “Afterward, they’ll move to the cool-down area and then the cheering zone to encourage their classmates. It’s about learning pacing, teamwork, and the joy of physical activity, all while helping others.”
To connect the event with the food drive, donation tables will be set up at the Turkey Trot for families who wish to bring canned goods or non-perishable items. “We’re sending out flyers and reminders to parents,” Floyd said. “Donations aren’t required, but we hope families will take the opportunity to contribute when they come to watch their children run.”
Meanwhile, Dallahan and Pine Road’s team of student ambassadors, a group of third graders selected for leadership roles, will help collect and sort the donations throughout November.
“Before our school’s reconfiguration, our ambassadors were fifth graders,” Dallahan explained. “Now that Pine Road serves kindergarten through third grade, our younger students are stepping into those leadership roles. We’ll have about ten to twelve ambassadors helping collect items from classrooms and organize them into boxes.”
The food drive will run through the entire month of November, with collection boxes placed throughout the school and an additional donation table at the Turkey Trot. Each grade level will be asked to bring specific items, such as pasta, canned vegetables, or hygiene supplies, to ensure a balanced selection of goods for families in need.
“We’re not asking families to go shopping,” Dallahan emphasized. “Even if a student can grab one box of pasta or a can of soup from their pantry, it makes a difference. Every contribution counts.”
The donations will be distributed to school families who request holiday meal assistance through a schoolwide form, with any remaining items donated to the Willow Grove Baptist Food Pantry.
This partnership is especially meaningful this year, as the food pantry has seen a dramatic increase in need. In a letter sent to the school, Food Pantry Manager Rick Beyerle shared that the pantry now serves over 220 families each week, nearly six times the number it supported just four years ago.
The Willow Grove pantry serves families from Abington, Cheltenham, Hatboro-Horsham, Upper Dublin, Upper Moreland, Springfield, and Centennial School Districts, as well as other surrounding areas. By hosting the food drive, Pine Road is helping the pantry continue its mission of feeding neighbors in need.
“This collaboration is a wonderful example of how even our youngest learners can make a big difference,” said Dallahan. “It helps them see beyond themselves and builds empathy and gratitude. Service learning projects like this are so powerful for kids. They realize that doing for others not only helps the community, but it helps them grow as individuals.”
Floyd agreed, adding that the Turkey Trot will reinforce those same lessons through action. “For our kids, this is about joy,” she said. “They love helping, cheering, and being part of something that matters. When we explain what the food drive is and how their efforts are helping other families, it really clicks for them.”
As Pine Road’s hallways begin to fill with collection boxes and excitement builds for the Turkey Trot, both educators hope the community will rally behind the effort.
“The generosity of our families has always been incredible,” Dallahan said. “In past years, families who expected one basket of food ended up receiving two or three boxes filled with everything they needed for a holiday meal. With the addition of the Turkey Trot this year, we’re excited to see how much more we can do.”
