"Goodwill's Thanksgiving Day Race Donation Effort Featured On Local 12 News!"

After months of planning, Ohio Valley Goodwill’s volunteer donation team and members of “Team Goodwill” arrived  in downtown Cincinnati on Thanksgiving morning prepared for the first time, to participate in the 101st annual Thanksgiving Day 10k  Race.  The organization partnered with race  officials to  sponsor  two “Share The Warmth” Donation Stations this year, where runners could donate +ONE item to share the warmth with others this holiday season. Local 12 reporter Joe Webb arrived soon after the Goodwill volunteers and covered the entire Race event and was particularly interested in the new Donation Station feature.  Webb and his photographer, Eric Gerhart,  interviewed  Goodwill Public Information Officer, Michael Flannery about the effort and filmed the runners as they ran by, tossing donations of coats, gloves and hats as they went. Webb managed to get a few of the runners to pause briefly to explain why they donated to Goodwill and all stated that they wanted to support a good cause  on Thanksgiving.

Despite pouring rain and  dark skies, Goodwill volunteers and members of  “Team Goodwill” were all smiles during the morning-long event. More than 25 members of Goodwill’s  organizational team  contributed their time and energy to the Share  The Warmth Donation effort which resulted in more than 1600  pounds of donated items. Community volunteer, Mark Macomber, provided entertainment for the determined racers as well as for the Goodwill volunteers, contributing his musical skills to the success of the first-time ever event.

“I was very impressed by the enthusasiam of our team throughout the planning for and participation in the 2010 Thanksgiving Day Race event,” said Sharon Hannon, Goodwill Marketing Specialist and event organizer. “It’s amazing how willing people are to give of their time for something they truly believe in,” added Hannon.

Ohio Valley Goodwill serves more than 2300 individuals with disabilities and our nation’s veterans annually, helping them to obtain job training and employment in the community. Proceeds from the sales of items donated to Goodwill help to make its mission of service possible. Ohio Valley Goodwill  is grateful to its team of volunteers for their outstanding efforts to share the warmth with others this holiday season.