SEQUIM — An annual ride to help feed Sequim’s hungriest residents is set for Saturday.
The eighth annual Cranksgiving is a fall, family-friendly, bike-powered benefit for the Sequim Food Bank, 144 W. Alder St.
Sequim’s Cranksgiving organizers last year added a team competition to complement individual awards as they invite community members to once again join the annual food-raiser, this year set for 8:45 a.m. Saturday.
Teams start at 9 a.m. and individuals at 9:15 a.m. at the Sequim Food Bank.
Participants of all ages are invited to bring their bike and gear — including helmet, lock, knapsack, etc. — along with money to purchase food that will be donated to the food bank.
Similar to a “scavenger hunt” on wheels, participants compete for various prizes, from fastest collector to most food collected, youngest and oldest rider, top food-gathering team and more.
Cranksgiving organizers provide a list of food asked for and a course that traditionally spans 4.4 miles from QFC to Walmart and back.
During the event, participants purchase food items from the shopping list at specified stores around town and when done bring the food to the start point (the food bank).
In doing this, they must visit at least four stores and purchase at least one item at each store. Family participants with small children must visit at least one store.
The event also includes an “after-party” at Rainshadow Coffee, 157 W. Cedar St., for awards and a raffle. The team gathering the most food (by weight) wins.
While this is the eighth event in Sequim, Cranksgiving is based on a nationwide event.
To date, about 60 cities nationwide have announced their participation and more will join during the next several weeks.
Despite fewer riders than 2016, Sequim’s 2017 Cranksgiving event nearly doubled the weight of food raised the previous year, with more than a ton (2,347 pounds) coming in along with $338 — all going to the Sequim Food Bank.
For more information, contact Tom Coonelly at 360-681-7053 or Coonelly@olypen.com.
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Michael Dashiell is the editor of the Sequim Gazette of the Olympic Peninsula News Group, which also is composed of other Sound Publishing newspapers Peninsula Daily News and Forks Forum. Reach him at editor@sequimgazette.com.
