Beneficiary

Proceeds from The Phoenicia Turkey Trot go directly to a local community project or organization in need. This year, sponsorships and runner registrations will benefit THE GOOD COMPANY CLUB, a brand new program of Catskill Neighbors, a local nonprofit dedicated to supporting area residents through acts of kindness, companionship, and practical assistance. 

THE GOOD COMPANY CLUB opened its doors at the Phoenicia United Methodist Church on September 29th and operates every Monday! The goals of THE GOOD COMPANY CLUB are:

• To provide active support/care for 8-10 seniors in the local community who are living with cognitive decline in a way that is regular, predictable, and substantial.

• To provide passive support for their caregivers, who are in desperate need of time away from their 24/7 care commitment.

• To create a new local resource to which existing programs can refer seniors and caregivers when cognitive decline becomes overwhelming, requiring more support.

Shandaken and Middletown, Ulster County Office for Aging (UCOFA), Jewish Family Services, local nonprofits and faith communities, have generated small interventions and partnerships to address the absence of rural infrastructure to assist people aging in place. As seniors’ physical and mental capacity deteriorates over time, their needs intensify. The CLUB builds on cooperative efforts to develop the next level of support. It models a pilot program sponsored by UCOFA. Seeking to make Shandaken a dementia-friendly town, we’ll begin with one day and add a second day at Pine Hill Community Center in 2026.

Your runner's registration will directly help to serve our senior neighbors by covering the cost of:

•  Continuation of the program beyond December 2025

•  Expansion to offer a SECOND day at the Pine Hill Community Center