KILLINGTON — Summer-like weather, friends, family and a great cause culminated in a successful Bootcampers against Breast Cancer 5K event headquartered at the Johnson Recreation Center on River Road in Killington Sunday. Organizers say this is the first year of what they hope to be an annual event.
The Making Strides Against Breast Cancer event met its goal of $8,000 toward the American Cancer Society with roughly 100 people participating.
About 1 in 8 women, or 12 percent of all women in the United States, will develop breast cancer over the course of a lifetime, according to the American Cancer Society.
This year alone, 232,670 more women and 2,360 men will be diagnosed with new cases of invasive breast cancer. This year alone, 40,000 women are expected to die from invasive breast cancer.
Organizers Beth Roberts, owner of Killington Boot Camp, and Danyelle Joaquin were motivated by those staggering statistics and began a passionate effort to get the community healthier.
The 5K was sponsored by Casella, Finer Tours and The Mountain Times. Roberts thanked all volunteers and participants.
“For the past two years, Danyelle has had a fundraiser but this year we wanted to get more of the fitness community and families involved,” Roberts said. “The goal is to raise $8,000 and get more people outside and active all the time.”
Events like the one held in Killington have inspired more than eight million walkers and runners to participate in Making Strides events in more than 270 communities across the country, raising more than $460 million to fight breast cancer, according to ACS.
Joaquin said she was first inspired to do a Killington Strides event after her best friend from high school was diagnosed with breast cancer in her early 30s.
“After she was diagnosed, she was hired by the American Cancer Society and we saw an opportunity to raise money in the Killington community,” she said. “Whole families are affected by this disease. I’m hoping to pull the community together and raise awareness for breast cancer detection in our community.”
By Cristina Kumka
Cristina Kumka is a correspondent for The Mountain Times.
