Family continues 27-year Thanksgiving tradition of Run to Feed the Hungry, despite grieving lost loved ones
By Michelle Bandur
Click here for updates on this story
SACRAMENTO, California (KCRA) — Registration for Sacramento’s Run to Feed the Hungry has reached a record-breaking number of nearly 31,800 participants as of Monday afternoon, marking a significant milestone for the event that has been a tradition since 1994 and serves as a major fundraiser for the Sacramento Food Bank.
For one Orangevale family, the event is about preserving family traditions, even after losing dear family members.
Lianne Vicchio and her mother, Susan Vicchio, have been participating in the Thanksgiving run since 1998, a tradition started by Lianne’s father and Susan’s husband, Bert.
“Growing up, it was like, my dad’s out in the driveway, honking the horn, waking us up,” Lianne Vicchio said.
Susan Vicchio reflected on the longevity of their participation.
“This would be year 27,” she said. “I don’t know where the time went exactly.”
The Vicchios, along with their daughters, ages 8 and 9 at the time in 1998, began their Thanksgiving mornings with neighbors, friends, and cousins, making the run a non-negotiable part of their holiday.
“No matter who was in town, there was no option. We all did Run to Feed the Hungry,” Susan Vicchio said.
Year 20 was particularly challenging for the family, as they lost their leader, Bert Vicchio, to blood cancer in December 2018.
“We’ve lost him. And this is an important tradition for me to carry on, differently,” said Susan Vicchio. “But to continue to express gratitude now in different ways with different people.”
The family faced further loss when Susan Vicchio’s older daughter, Haley, died in a car accident. Despite these hardships, Susan emphasized the importance of maintaining family traditions during the holidays.
“As difficult as it is, maintaining some of the family traditions that you had is a really important way to hold it together during the holidays, which can be the most challenging time of the year,” she said.
Lianne Vicchio holds on to her father and sister’s memories.
“They’re my strength, so I get joy from that,” she said. “I’m carrying their legacy. I’m living their life that maybe they could have.”
Registration for the Run to Feed the Hungry is still open, and participants can even sign up on site on Thanksgiving morning.
This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting.
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.