Giving Thanks In and Around Durango

Thanksgiving in Durango is jam packed full of fun activities for the whole family. Start Thursday off with the Turkey Trot presented by Animas Surgical Hospital at Fort Lewis College. Manna Soup Kitchen's annual community Thanksgiving meal is open to anyone in the community and will be delivering meals through a partnership with the Vineyard Church. On Friday, a special visit from Santa will kick off the winter holidays, but he might need help wrangling in some of his reindeer before the caroling starts. And new this year, the Durango-La Plata County Airport will be offering remote shuttle parking to help offset the expected surge in parking needs through December 2nd. You're watching the Local News Roundup, brought to you by Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steak Burgers and M&R Plumbing. I'm Sadie Smith. Thanksgiving is the busiest period for parking at the Durango-La Plata County Airport, and the airport is expecting parking demand that will outweigh its parking lots once again this year. To offset the lack of spaces, the airport will offer remote parking with a shuttle this week until December 2nd. Travelers looking to park will be directed to the remote parking lot as they arrive to the airport, and there will be regular shuttles to and from the lot throughout the parking period. Daily rates at the remote lot will be $7 a day, $2 less than in the main lots, and there will be a shelter provided by MODSTREET at the remote lot to provide shelter while waiting. Aviation director Tony Vicari noted that remote parking is a new concept for the airport, but it will be a good test to see if the concept will work for other peak demand periods. With holiday travel starting, make sure to have at least two hours between arriving at the airport and your flight departure time to accommodate time for parking, checking in and getting through security to avoid the stress of potentially missing your flight. Start off Thanksgiving Day with some fresh air, community and some turkey impressions at the annual Turkey Trot presented by Animas Surgical Center. A holiday tradition going strong for nearly 30 years, trot the five mile run or gobble up the one-mile fun run around the Fort Lewis College campus in Hillcrest. Registration is open online and day of registration is available but make sure to bring cash. The fun starts at 10 AM and make sure to stick around for the Gobble Contest starting at 11 AM, and the prize drawing with goodies donated from local area businesses. Volunteers are still needed for packet pickup aid stations, and course marshals. Sign up online. All proceeds from the event will go towards supporting local charities. Ring the dinner bell and gather for Manna's annual community Thanksgiving meal, available to everyone in the community at any time between 9 AM and 1 PM on Thanksgiving Day. Dig into the meal, featuring a full menu of oven-roasted turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, salad, rolls, and pie at Manna or organize a pickup of the meal to enjoy. This year, Manna Soup Kitchen has partnered with the Vineyard Church to organize delivery between 11 AM and 2 PM to anyone in the community who are unable to come in or pick up a to-go meal. Sign up online. Contact Andrew Urenda with any questions about the community meal. Oh no, it appears some of Santa's reindeer have gotten away. We have it on good authority that they will be hiding out in downtown Durango on Friday. Gather the family and see if you can find at least six of them. Let your parents know to stop by the Welcome Center to pick up a card with information about where the reindeer were last spotted and see if you can find them between 10 AM and 5 PM in Durango businesses. The first 50 to return with a fully stamped card will receive a Singing with Santa mug and keep hold of it for hot chocolate and cookies at Buckley Park for singing with Santa. The caroling starts at Buckley Park, beginning at 5:30 PM and Santa will be there at 6 PM, just in time for the lighting of the community Christmas tree. He will stick around for pictures until 7:15 PM, so ask your parents to make sure they have a camera handy. The team here at the Local News Network wishes you and your family a happy, fun, and safe Thanksgiving holiday. Thank you for watching this edition of the Local News Roundup. I'm Sadie Smith.