ROANOKE, Va. (WDBJ) - On Thanksgiving Day, before folks in Southwest Virginia and beyond started filling their plates, over 8,000 people raced in the 20 th Annual Drumstick Dash .

The sound of a turkey gobble got racers started on their 5k journey of walking or running through downtown Roanoke.

The Dash supports the Rescue Mission of Roanoke ’s dining services. The organization started this race 20 years ago to bring awareness to the homeless population and those who are food-insecure. They provide over 200,000 meals each year to those in need and offer various assistance programs.

WDBJ7 spoke with participants about being a part of this race, knowing the impact it has on the community.

“We’ve been doing this on and off since she was a baby. So we just think it’s really special t

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