Students walk for a cause
Three Georgia College & State University students are spending the weekend of Oct. 5-7 walking for a cause.
April Whirley, Erin O’Connell, and Denise DeLoach have been training for the past six months to participate in the Avon 3-Day Walk, a walk to raise money for breast cancer awareness.
The walk will begin at Lake Lanier and go about 60 miles to Atlanta. Each walker has to raise $1,800 to participate. Some participators walk in memory or in honor of people they know. Others join their friends, and some simply walk for the cause.
“I watched one family work through breast cancer, and I want to help prevent having to go through that again,” Whirley said. “I’ve learned how important early detection is. Some people think it can’t happen to them, but it can.”
The Avon 3-Day walk is an activity of the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade, which raises money that goes towards grants to help with medical research, prevention, education, and support services.
“One statistic says that 1 in every 9 women will get breast cancer in their lifetime,” O’Connell said. “Knowing that for every nine friends I have one will have breast cancer hits home.”
During the week before the students go to walk, Georgia College & State University will be participating in `Think Pink Week’ to show support and to help raise money. This week began last year when Dr. Beth Rushing participated in the 3-Day walk.
“I walked with my sister, and it was the most incredible thing I have ever done,” Rushing said. “It was good to do for the cause, but it was also personally rewarding.”
`Think Pink Week’ will begin on Friday, Sept. 28 with Denim Day. During this day, faculty and staff who have purchased a pink ribbon can wear denim. On Sunday, student organizations can participate in Dollar Days, where each member is encouraged to donate a dollar to the cause.
On Monday, Oct. 1, there will be a Breast Cancer Awareness Workshop and Open Forum that all are invited to attend. On Tuesday, a send-off in honor of the walkers will take place at 7 p.m. in front of Atkinson Hall, and a candlelight vigil for victims of breast cancer will be held.
At the send-off, the students will receive a check from the money donated from the sale of ribbons and pink links.
For more information on how to get involved in `Think Pink Week’ students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to call the G.I.V.E. Center at 445-5700 or visit the office in Ennis Hall.
Posted by Colonnade Archives
on Sep 28 2001. Filed under News.
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