"Ohio Valley Goodwill Celebrates Cincinnati and the Spirit of Giving at 2012 Thanksgiving Day Race!"

For the third year in a row, Ohio Valley Goodwill will be front and center for the annual Thanksgiving Day Race on Thursday, November 22nd. This year will be especially meaningful because the theme for 2012 is “Celebrate Cincinnati,” and for Goodwill, this also means celebrating Cincinnati’s spirit of giving. For more than 96 years, Goodwill has been supported by the generous donations of the Greater Cincinnati community which in turn allows the organization to provide vital skill training and employment services for men and women with disabilities as well as our nation’s veterans. As in previous years, Goodwill will have a donation station at the start of the Thanksgiving Day Race by Paul Brown Stadium as well as at Mile 2, marked by Goodwill trucks which this year will display banners that say “Celebrate Cincinnati and Our Spirit of Giving!” Through Goodwill’s past experience with the Race, the organization has learned that both the Thanksgiving Day Race and the Donation Stations are symbolic of the sense of community that is really the essence of Cincinnati. Families and friends come together every year to be part of the Thanksgiving Day Race tradition just as they come together to support Goodwill and its mission of service to the community. For Goodwill and its volunteer team, the Race becomes a chance to join together with thousands of runners to share the positive spirit that creates the magic of the event as well as the opportunity to give.

“Our Goodwill team gets excited as we watch the family groups as they race by with Mom, Dad, kids and even grandparents all together on Thanksgiving Day. It seems like a wonderful tradition, made even more poignant by the sense of celebration that is reflected in huge smiles and laughter as they greet our Goodwill volunteers,” said Sharon Hannon, Marketing Specialist. To make this year’s Race and Goodwill Donation Station at Mile 2 even more festive, long-time musical volunteer, Mark Macomber, will share his talents with both the racers and donation team members. “The spirit of giving is really reflected not only by the wonderful Race participants in the Thanksgiving Day event but also by our team of volunteers that choose to spend part of their holiday in support of our mission of service to the Greater Cincinnati community,” said Hannon, Goodwill Marketing Specialist. This year’s Goodwill team is composed of members of its Retail, Administrative and Donations divisions as well as Marketing department. Involvement in high profile community events like the annual Thanksgiving Day Race allows Goodwill to share the stories of the thousands of people it works with every year and to inspire others with their achievements. “It’s remarkable when you think about it that something as simple as giving a donation of clothing or household goods can ultimately really impact someone else’s life. At Goodwill, we live that story every day but we love the opportunity to share those stories with others when we can,” said Hannon. Join Ohio Valley Goodwill in Celebrating Cincinnati and our spirit of giving this holiday season at the 2012 Thanksgiving Day Race! Register on-line at www.thanksgivingdayrace.com and bring something to show you’ve got the Giving Spirit!