By: Stephanie Bruha
The largest annual fundraiser for the Central Florida Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure was in our own backyard on Sunday, October 17, 2010 and I was lucky enough to be able to attend on behalf of Kavaliro. The Race for the Cure is a celebration for breast cancer survivors, support for those currently battling the disease, raising of awareness for research/funding, and a memorial to the many who have lost the battle with this awful disease. Unlike some other charities, the majority of the proceeds from this event at UCF and the others in the area will stay in the Central Florida area to providing education and treatment or screenings to those who cannot afford it, and the remainder of funds go to national research to find a cure.
Kudos goes to the University of Central Florida who hosted the Race for the Cure event this year. The race course itself was carved out around some of the best parts of the campus - starting back by the BrightHouse Stadium, winding through Greek Drive and around the reflection pond, just to name a few. The amount of supporters in attendance at the event was an overwhelming sea of pink! It was great to see so many people in support of this great cause, from babies to grandparents and everyone in between!
There were expected participants (the UCF Cheerleaders and Knightro) and the unexpected (local radio station sponsors XL 106.7 and 104.1, and even Chester the Cheetah) but the sponsor tents were the highlight for me. They were giving out samples and educational materials, and of course, breast cancer awareness goodies. You could support the Susan G. Komen foundation through donations, or even better, through the purchase of some super sweet pink apparel. The competitive 5k race winners were announced at the event, but the t-shirt contest winner has yet to be announced online. The competition for the best dressed is going to be a tight race with all the pink tutus, wigs, crowns, and capes (and that was just the guys!).
Getting to be part of an event is a reminder of what a great community we get to be part of here at Kavaliro. The thousands of participants on the University of Central Florida campus were there to be part of a bigger movement; an army aimed at eradicating breast cancer forever. The number of people impacted by breast cancer was astonishing. Runners and walkers were wearing “in memory of” cards and signs throughout the course made it very personal and it makes me thankful for my friends and family and most importantly: my health. We should all take in a lesson from this event: take care of yourself and the ones you love. By coming together as a community, we have a chance to make big changes.
Please visit the website for the Central Florida Affilite of Susan G. Komen for the Cure for educational resources, future events, or to see highlights from this year’s Race for the Cure at UCF.
Also, take a moment to see a recap of the event via, Race for the Cure At UCF-Video-WFTV Orlando.
To see other local charities and events that Kavaliro supports and has attended, please visit our Community Blog and our Community Page.