TO GET THAT INFORMATION TO YOU AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. REGISTRATION FOR OUR PERSONAL FAVORITE THANKSGIVING TRADITION JUST BROKE A RECORD. AS OF THIS AFTERNOON, THERE ARE NOW NEARLY 31,800 PEOPLE SIGNED UP FOR THE RUN TO FEED THE HUNGRY. SO HERE’S A LOOK AT THE. CELEBRATION. THE RUN HAS BEEN A TRADITION HERE IN SACRAMENTO SINCE GOING BACK TO 1994. SPONSORED BY KCRA, THE EVENT IS A MAJOR FUNDRAISER FOR THE SACRAMENTO FOOD BANK AND IS KCRA 3’S. MICHELLE BANDUR SHOWS US FOR ONE ORANGEVALE FAMILY RUN TO FEED THE HUNGRY IS ABOUT KEEPING FAMILY TRADITIONS ALIVE, EVEN WHEN YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS HAVE PASSED AWAY. GOOD MORNING. THIS MOTHER DAUGHTER DUO. ALL RIGHT, TWO MORE KNOWS HOW TO TURN PACKET PICKUP. LET’S TRY ON THE HATS. JUST BECAUSE MOM INTO A PARTY, ARE YOU? WHERE ARE YOU? WEAR THIS ONE. THAT’S BETTER FOR ME. IT’S JUST TRADITION. FAMILY, FRIENDS, A THANKSGIVING TRADITION STARTED BY LEANNE. HIS FATHER, BERT. GROWING UP, IT WAS LIKE MY DAD’S OUT IN THE OUT IN THE DRIVEWAY, HONKING THE HORN, WAKING US UP. THIS WOULD BE YOUR 27. AND. YEAH, I DON’T KNOW WHERE THE TIME WENT. EXACTLY 27 YEARS, BABY. SINCE 1998, THE VEHICLES AND THEIR TWO DAUGHTERS, AGES EIGHT AND NINE AT THE TIME, LACED UP THEIR RUNNING SHOES TO START THEIR THANKSGIVING MORNING WITH NEIGHBORS, FRIENDS, COUSINS. NO MATTER WHO WAS IN TOWN, THERE WAS NO OPTION. WE ALL DID RUN TO FEED THE HUNGRY. YEAR 20 WAS A TOUGH ONE THOUGH. THAT’S WHEN THEY LOST THEIR LEADER, BERT DIED OF BLOOD CANCER CHRISTMAS OF 2018. WE’VE LOST HIM AND THIS IS AN IMPORTANT TRADITION FOR ME TO CARRY ON DIFFERENTLY, BUT TO CONTINUE TO EXPRESS GRATITUDE NOW IN DIFFERENT WAYS, WITH DIFFERENT PEOPLE. THANK YOU. THE WOMEN CONTINUE ON AND HOLD ON TO EACH OTHER, FACING EVEN MORE LOSS. IT’S A BLUR, BUT SEVERAL YEARS AGO, OLDER SISTER AND SUSAN’S DAUGHTER HALEY DIED IN A CAR ACCIDENT. 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. THEY’RE MY STRENGTH, SO I GET I GET JOY FROM THAT. SO I’M CARRYING THEIR THEIR LEGACY. I’M I’M LIVING THEIR LIFE THAT MAYBE THEY COULD HAVE 27 YEARS. THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU GUYS. IN EAST SACRAMENTO APPRECIATE IT. MICHELLE BANDUR KCRA THREE NEWS. AND THERE’S STILL TIME TO REGISTER. YOU CAN EVEN SIGN UP ON SITE THANKSGIVING MORNING. THEY’D LOVE TO HAVE YOU. HOPEFULLY THEY’LL FEEL THE SUPPORT OF ALL THOSE PEOPLE OUT THERE. IT DOES FEEL LIKE A BIG FAMILY WHEN YOU’RE IN. THERE’S A LOT OF LOVE. THERE IS SO MUCH LOVE AND SUPPORT. ABSOLUTELY. THERE ARE SOME ROAD CLOSURES DRIVERS SHOULD BE AWARE OF THURSDAY MORNING FOR THE RACE. THAT INCLUDES J STREET FROM CARLSON DRIVE TO 45TH STREET, H STREET FROM ALHAMBRA BOULEVARD TO 55TH STREET, MCKINLEY BOULEVARD FROM ALHAMBRA BOULEVARD TO ELVIS AVENUE. FOR A LOOK AT ALL OF THE
Family continues 27-year Thanksgiving tradition of Run to Feed the Hungry, despite grieving lost loved ones
The Vicchio family has been taking part in RTFTH for 27 years, continuing the tradition despite losing family members
Updated: 6:29 PM PST Nov 24, 2025
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.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
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.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel