I am honored to present a guest post today by Alyse Johnson:
Creating a Better Future for Cancer Victims
By Alyse Johnson
In 2010 Great Harvest bakery owners across the nation were inspired to find a cure for cancer by former Des Moines, Iowa bakery owner, Mauri Booton, who died of leukemia. This year bakery owners are preparing to fundraise again for One Day, One Dollar, One Goal… To Find a Cure to support the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) cancer research.
This year’s nationwide fundraising goal is $75,000. An entire team of Great Harvest walkers and runners are training and fundraising for the June 5th Dodge Rock N Roll Marathon in San Diego through the Team in Training program. Fifteen team members from across the country have committed to completing this marathon in memory of those lost to cancer, in honor of those fighting it now, and in support of those who will one day be told, “you have cancer.”
Each team member has their own personal reasons for committing to training and fundraising for this marathon. These messages are best put in their own words:
Bakery owner Mallari England from Boise, ID says, “We all know people who have suffered from different types of cancer. Someone very close to me fought against leukemia and won, but that is not always the case. I am participating in hopes that one day when people are diagnosed with cancer that will always be the case – that they will win their battle.”Greg Garrard, owner of the Owensboro, KY bakery has a special reason for supporting this cause: “I am participating in the Team in Training in honor of my mother-in-law, a non-smoker in a family of non-smokers who died of lung cancer 20 years ago. I feel it is important to support cancer research because cancer touches babies, children, teens, young adults, adults, mature adults, male/ female, rich/poor, black, white, Indian, Asian, Latino, all humanity. If we can put men and women in space, we should be able to find a cure for cancer. The research needs to be shared. It is not one medical center or country racing against another to be first. WE need to be first for humanity.”
Over half of the team members come from the Great Harvest franchising office based in Dillon, Montana. Veteran marathon runner Amanda Flamm, speaks to the meaning of participating in this fundraiser: “Doing an event like this is never just about race day, it’s about the bigger picture. It’s about a group of people coming together for a purpose...and in this case it’s to help find a cure for cancer. It’s about honoring those who have fought the good fight and lost, and about supporting those who are still fighting right this minute. Endurance events help you find out what you’re made of and force you to dig deep and use the strength and energy that’s coming from all the people who believed in you enough to donate to the cause, who helped you reach your goal, and who helped you get to the starting line. Every step carries the weight of the responsibility you’ve taken to be part of the process, and crossing the finish line connects you to all those who stand with you and hope to make a difference, too. As an experienced endurance athlete, no event is more meaningful than one that brings it all back into perspective, and that’s what Team in Training is all about. I’m proud to stand strong with my teammates and run this one for the cause.”The following Great Harvest bakery owners and franchising employees are participating in the Team in Training fundraising:
Bakery owners:
- Laurie Corkey- Herndon, VA (Former Owner)
- Mallari England- Boise, ID
- Greg Garrard- Owensboro, KY
- Mary Hellerstedt - Des Moines, IA (Former Owner)
- Sam Polito- Peoria, IL
- Stephanie Polito- Peoria, IL
- Paul Rankin- Jackson, MS
- Debra Zyskowski- Wayne, PA
- Kayla Conner- Helena, MT
- Mike Ferretti- Charlotte, NC
- Amanda Flamm- Dillon, MT
- Kelli Morse- Dillon, MT
- Tim Peterson- Helena, MT
- Melissa Seith- Dillon, MT
- Paul Tikalsky- Dillon, MT
Click here to follow the team and support them in their efforts: http://pages.teamintraining.org/nc/rnr11/greatharvest
All of these generous people are passionate about creating a better future for cancer victims. Have you ever completed a fundraising event in the fight against cancer, or do you have a personal reason to support cancer research?
