Holliston Walks to Fight Breast Cancer
See all the activities by clicking on the arrow in the brief video above. To see it in full screen and high definition, plce the cursor at the bottom of the video and click on the square and the gear wheel in the bottom right tool bar.
There is a beautiful flowering tree with a pink ribbon, planted in memory of Maryellen Miller, on the green.
The statistics are grim and the evidence clear that breast cancer has a devastating impact on our lives -- our mothers, daughters, wives, sisters, aunts, our BFFs, the waitress at the restaurant you frequent, our co-workers and our bosses. It touches so many of our lives.
The motivation that this group of organizers has is an inspiration from Maryellen Miller, a co-founder of the Walk. Maryellen Miller died from breast cancer in 2008. She left with these women an enduring faith in the potential of small town efforts to make a big difference. Indeed, with eleven Walks they have raised more than a half a million dollars. All of the sponsorship for the event is local and all of the money goes directly to Dana Farber.
Pink was everywhere on the green. Pink tents with a silent auction, raffles, and a bake sale.
Maryellen Miller, Katie Connors described to me, was a strong, soft-spoken, very gentle person. She ran her home with a gentle precision. (My mother, also precise in her homemaking, called this 'knowing everybody's needs before they knew them.') Maryellen was passionate and determined about the Walk and that gentle precision still shows. The Walk is organized by Kathy Chisholm, Katie Connors, Denise Cronin, Jayne Jones, Maryann Marcoux, Pam Poor and Dawn Waddell, and a crew of volunteers. All I can say is well done and thank you. It was a beautiful, very moving event. What an honor to the memory of their friend and beloved daughter who left this wonderful legacy. And an honor to all whose memory hold this group together to continue this community effort.
Cynicism and apathy so easily creep into how we see things. These women, this event, underscores the notion that the efforts of a small group, working together, can make big changes for the better. And why not do all you can to fight breast cancer? Breasts are amazing. Perfect food for our babies, so nice to touch and they can make that dress look stunning. So love 'em up. Find a cure.
I plan on walking next year. Join me?
It was good to see the smiling faces of these women from town and acknowledge the struggle with breast cancer they experienced.
Walkers wrote messages on a pink ribbon. "Miss you Mom" tugged at my heart. I wish I had gone back to see what Linda Ahronian, a breast cancer survivor, wrote.
Half of the walkers were young people. These young boys write a message on the pink ribbon.
Dr. Jennifer Bellon spoke about the importance of the research being done and of the gratitude for the support of events like this.
A pretty-darned good band of foot-stomping local guys set the beat as the walkers set off on their five-mile trek.
Some of the early finishers walk through the beautiful arch of roses that Mark Ahronian does every year for the Walk. Five miles at that pace -- Good job ...