Gurnee, IL – December 18, 2009 - On Friday morning, December 18, the proceeds from the 16th annual Jon Callaghan Memorial Turkey Trot were distributed to the local recipients at the Gurnee Police Department. Present for the event were Gurnee Mayor Kristina Kovarik, Village Administrator James Hayner, Gurnee Police Chief Robert Jones and members of the Gurnee Turkey Trot Committee, including Mike and Kim Callaghan, Jon’s parents.

There were a total of 670 participants registered for the Turkey Trot event on Thanksgiving morning, which was a great turnout despite the rainy weather. A total of $14,000 in proceeds were distributed between four recipients this year. A check for $6,250.00 was presented to the Gurnee Community Church for their Youth Mission program. The check was accepted by Pastor Chris Stevens. The youth mission group will be traveling to Panama to help build homes here for families in need.

Chicago Children’s Memorial Hospital received $3,250.00 for their Neuroblastoma research. A representative from Children’s Memorial Hospital was present to accept the check. Another $2000.00 was presented to Dr. John Hutton and Tamara Kroc of Gurnee District 56 Schools for their Special needs program. And $2,500.00 was presented to Suzanne Simpson, Warren Township Supervisor, for the Warren Township Food Pantry, which has seen more families in need of help this year due to the economy.

In the Fall of 1994, Gurnee Police Chief Robert Jones organized a 5K run to be held on Thanksgiving morning. The event was called the Turkey Trot and runners were asked to make a $10.00 donation to the Gurnee Community Church to help fund their holiday dinner for the needy and Great Lakes military personnel. The event was sponsored by the Gurnee Police Department. About a dozen runners participated in that first event. The Turkey Trot continued each year and participation increased.

Jon Callaghan was a student at O’Plaine School in Gurnee, who passed away in 1997 after a courageous battle with neuroblastoma cancer. The event was then renamed the Jon Callaghan Memorial Turkey Trot and his parents, Mike and Kim Callaghan, became involved with the annual event. Per the Callaghan family, the funds raised have been used to help Make-a-Wish Foundation, Children’s Memorial Hospital Cancer Research, School District 56 Program for Learning Disabled, and many others.