Basalt runs Turkey Trot to fundraise for education

With ice glossing the pavement, valley residents braved frigid temperatures on Thursday to fundraise in the eighth annual Basalt Turkey Trot. 

The Basalt Education Foundation, which provides funding for Basalt public schools, hosted the event with two goals in mind: bring the Basalt community together and support education. 

“We live in an outdoor area, and so anything we can do to bring people together within the community is important,” Foundation Board Member and School Liaison Committee Chair Brook Portman said. “And the public schools are a starting foundation for a good community.”

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The morning included a 5-kilometer race, a 1-mile fun run, and a raffle. The races started and finished at the Basalt Elementary School. 

All money spent at the event, including trot registration fees and raffle ticket purchases, went to the foundation. 

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“We fill funding gaps that aren’t in the regular budget,” Portman said of the foundation’s mission relating to public schools.

The foundation gave nearly $338,000 in the 2023-24 school year to support the schools, funding student scholarships, teacher professional development, materials, additional programs, administrative resources, college scholarships, school clubs, peer tutoring, outdoor education, and more, according to her.

With over 300 people attending this year’s event, she estimated on Thursday morning they will raise around $6,000.

Basalt Elementary School Principal Grant Waaler said the foundation aids teachers with dual-language professional development, which gives them additional resources and training to improve the elementary school’s Spanish-English learning environment. 

“We’re very fortunate to have such a supportive community behind us,” Waaler said. “We’re a dual-language school, which comes with extra complexities and is really fun, but it’s nice to have the support of our community as we take on that endeavor.”

Beyond supporting education, the event brought families, friends, and visitors together with a common goal — finish the race, and do so in style. 

Basalt Middle School student Cole Honey said he was excited for the race. 

“It’s fun because I’m running against all my friends,” Honey said. 

Simon Dogbe, whose children attend Basalt Elementary School, said his mother traveled from London to visit him and experience her first ever Thanksgiving. She came with him to the race. 

“Every year, we try to do it,” Dogbe said. “I think I’m going to walk with my mom, and then the rest of the girls are going to run the 5k.”

The Hadley family traveled all the way from Albuquerque, New Mexico, to spend Thanksgiving in the valley and run the race. 

“This is our second year doing this,” Elise Hadley said. 

“We beat Mr. Waaler (the principal) last year, so we’re pretty excited,” added Dave Hadley.

Waaler gives stickers to anyone who beats him in the race. He said this year he might hang back to support elementary students as they run.

Basalt resident Jeff Clark, and his dog Ace, won the race. 

Clark said he did not expect to win, especially because he was running with his dog.

“We took a wrong turn, had to circle back, my phone fell out of my pocket, and then she came off her leash,” Clark said. “I was like, ‘The only way she’ll follow me is if I run fast enough and she’ll just chase me.'”

Clark said he’ll be back next year. 

“Oh yeah,” he said. “Especially if I have to defend my title — the turkey title.”

Skyler Stark-Ragsdale can be reached at 970-429-9152 or email him at sstark-ragsdale@aspentimes.com.