PITTSFIELD, Mass. – Morgan Windram-Geddes said she was going to spend much of the holiday making food to bring to her brother’s house to celebrate Thanksgiving with family.
Her extended family got to eat with the fastest woman at the eighth annual Thankful 5K.
Windram-Geddes of Glendale, Mass., was the 10th racer overall to cross the finish line at Berkshire Community College among the hundreds of runners and walkers to set off on West Street at 9 a.m. Thursday morning.
The event, sponsored by MountainOne and organized by the Berkshire Running Center, helped more than 400 participants work up an appetite and helped raise money and generate non-perishable food donations for local food pantries.
“It’s really important to be able to give back to the community financially and to be out here and raise awareness for food insecurity,” Windram-Geddes said. “And to be able to bring some contributions.”
She covered the 5-kilometer (3.1-mile) course in 19 minutes, 11.12 seconds.
The day’s fastest runner was Luke Consolati of Plymouth, Mass, who crossed the line in 17:02.59, nearly a minute ahead of runner-up John Romano of Chatham, N.J., (17:54.52).
“I was trying to break 17 [minutes] actually, so a little bit short of that, but I was just coming out here to have a good time mostly,” Consolati said.
“I just thought I’d come out here and try to stay with the top people. That’s what I did. Unfortunately, the other guy took a wrong turn over there, so I got the win. … But I’ll take it.”
Consolati said it was his first time competing in the race. Many more, like Windram-Geddes, who was the second female runner in 2022, were regular participants.
Dozens wore the event’s signature knit hats with the word “Thankful” stitched in the front. And several ran the event wearing some version of a turkey costume.
While, of course, there were times kept and places awarded, mostly it was a day for fun and fellowship among runners and generosity and gratitude for all who attended.
“I’m just thankful to be around family and friends and to have a good Thanksgiving meal later today,” Consolati said. “I’m happy for that.”
“I’m thankful for my family,” Windram-Geddes echoed. “They were all here today running as well, participating.
“And I’m thankful for Berkshire Running Center putting on these events because, without them, we wouldn’t have an opportunity to race and compete and have fun together.”
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Possible Measles Exposure at Boston, Logan
BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Public Health confirmed Wednesday that an out-of-state adult visitor who spent time in Boston and Westborough earlier this month was diagnosed with measles and was present in a number of locations.
This could have resulted in other people being exposed to measles virus.
The visitor arrived at Logan International Airport on American Airlines flight 2384 from Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, on Dec. 11 at 2:39 p.m. They stayed at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Boston-Westborough in Westborough and departed the state on Dec. 12 via Logan at 9:19 p.m. on JetBlue flight 117 to Las Vegas.
DPH is working with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local partners to identify and notify those who may have been exposed to measles from this individual.
"Measles is a highly contagious, airborne disease, which has increased significantly in the United States because of the unfortunate decrease in vaccination rates. It is also a preventable disease," said Public Health Commissioner Dr. Robbie Goldstein. "This current situation serves as an important reminder of the critical role vaccination plays in protecting our communities. While Massachusetts has not had a measles case this year, 2025 saw the highest number of nationwide cases in more than a decade — nearly 2,000 in 44 jurisdictions, and sadly, three deaths.
"Fifteen years ago, measles had been considered eliminated in the United States, but that tremendous progress is at risk. Vaccines are one of the most important public health interventions ever — they are safe, effective, and lifesaving."
Measles is very contagious. However, the risk to most people in Massachusetts is low because the vaccination rate in the state is high. People who are not immune and visited any of the locations on the following dates and times may be at risk for developing measles.
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