|
Below, you'll find extensive information on leading
pink breast cancer jacket articles and products to help you on your way
to success.
Volunteers Celebrating Survivorship
By Jeannette Balleza, Thu Dec 8th
"I get a lot of hugs that I hardly deserve," confessed 2004Komen Ozark Race for the CureŽ Co-Chair Walt Eilers, whose alterego is President of Terrapin Consulting, LLC. "I've beenoverwhelmed by the number of women I've encountered who areaffected by breast cancer," he continued. "My volunteerexperience has taught me that you can have a great time, make agreat impact and make lifetime friends. Komen is a part of thefabric of Northwest Arkansas that I have really come to love." Currently, NWA leads the state in breast cancer, so there is aglaring need to draw together resources to finance mammographyand treatment for those either uninsured or underinsured as wellas awareness education. A celebration and demonstration of hope,courage and support in the fight against breast cancer, the Racescheduled for Saturday, April 24, 2004, at the NWA Mall inFayetteville, represents one of over 100 Race for the CureŽsites and remains the flagship of the region's fundraisingefforts. With over 11,500 men, women and children expected to participatethis year, the Race requires scads of volunteers to help withpreparations, including race registration, operations,hospitality, training, development, venue planning andmarketing. These volunteers work behind the scenes year-round tocoordinate a successful event with a low cost-to-income ratio,making it possible for an impressive 75% of the proceeds to fundlocal projects and 25% to fund national researchthrough the Susan G. Komen Foundation Grant Program.
"We are one of the few Races still growing," revealedFayetteville resident Pam Grondin, who sits on both the SteeringCommittee and Operations Committee and focuses her energies onensuring the Race venue is aesthetically sound and user-friendlyfor survivors, sponsors, spectators, volunteers and Raceparticipants. "We have to change
every year because our numbers,sponsors and money are growing. I'm simply amazed." According to the volunteers, the day of the Race is one ofresonant marvel. "The reward for volunteering," declared 3-yearvolunteer Andrea Taylor, Marketing Manager at the NWA Mall andmember of the Race Operations Committee, "is the feeling youhave on Race day when the survivors parade through the venue.Period." Remembering last year's Race, Eilers recounted, "I wasengulfed by a sea of survivors in pink shirts, their positivespirit and their appreciation. I was surrounded by them and saw,from a new perspective, the impact of Komen." Grondin also enjoys sharing in the mirth exuded by thesurvivors, of every shape and size, as they march triumphantlytogether and beam infectiously at the smiling faces of theonlookers. "It's so uplifting!" she described emphatically. Inaddition, she advocates the Race for the networkingopportunities and camaraderie it affords the participants. TheRace allows people beginning their battles with tonetwork with survivors, fostering an invaluable empathy,building lifelong relationships and ideally increasing thenumber of survivors in the following year. Taylor boils down volunteering for the Komen Ozark Race for theCureŽ to "making a difference," and Eilers deems it as a "chanceto return the grace with which you have been blessed."Volunteers are the lifeblood of the Race, and every hour of timedonated signifies one step closer to the ultimate goal: to finda cure for as a life-threatening disease. "Take ayear to volunteer, and see how good it makes you feel," Grondinchallenged. "You may be hooked, and we'd love to have you." About the author:Copywriter/editor Jeannette Balleza owns Scribe Marketing, Inc.(http://www.scribemarketing.com), which offers contentdevelopment and refinement. You may contact her about creativeconcept development, writing, editing and research atjeannette@scribemarketing.com.
|
