On Saturday morning I joined 14,216 other people and walked in the Race for the Cure to raise money and awareness about breast cancer. What an experience! I knew it was a big event but didn't have any idea how big. I arrived about 7:00 a.m. for the survivors' breakfast, provided by Kroger. A sea of pink hats and t-shirts.
Ron Olson from FM-100 provided some entertainment.
Many of the teams wore matching outfits, and there were many women with fancy hats, boas and all sorts of other crazy costumes. A lot of men - husbands, fathers, sons, boyfriends - walked too, and many of them wore pink as well. I was on the Jazzercise team. They had a team t-shirt, but I wore my pink survivor shirt and cap. The Jazzercise team was the third high money-raising team, raising around $9700. Total raised was over $800,000!
Along the parade route, many people had decorated their yards. Many were out cheering us along. One man was playing the theme from Rocky from speakers in his driveway. The high school cheerleaders were out with their pompoms. It was just amazing. I had no idea people went all out like that. It just blew me away - we were in the back third and when we would go up or down a hill you could see the crowd in front of us that just stretched out as far as you could see. That's Elvis on the roof.
Kiss was there in one yard.....
....and Elvis again.
This one said "Camping for a Cure"
Those are pink plastic poodles.
This was my favorite decorated house with the pink pumpkins, and "Save the Boooobs".
After the race, we had our photo taken by the pink horse. That's Arlene, Marge and me.
The Bouffants sang "I Will Survive" and had a bunch of survivors on stage with them singing and cheering. I tried to get up there, but by the time I got to the stage, the fire marshall said no more people up there. Next year I'll have to get closer.
And Elvis came down off the roof to have his picture taken. He was having too much fun!
It was such an outpouring of love and support. Memphis can get so bogged down in stupid politics, and racial stuff, and this long drawn out election season has gotten so ugly ( if you don't support my candidate I hate you) it was so refreshing to get together with so many people where no one cared what age, race, sex, political affiliation or religion anyone else was. We were all out there supporting a common cause - most had either had the disease themselves or were walking in celebration or in memory of someone who did. Wouldn't it be a wonderful thing if somehow we could work together like that all the time?
If you have never participated in this before, consider doing it next year. You will get lots of smiles and hugs and make some new friends. I will definitely be there again next year, in fact I am considering volunteering to help organize it.
Before the race started, they took a photo of the survivors. I am way in the back on the left somewhere.
Before the race started, they took a photo of the survivors. I am way in the back on the left somewhere.
