Today, my friend Nicole, her friends Amy and Pam, and Nicole’s two Beagles, kicked off an 8,500-step training walk by painting a famous rock at Kent State University. The rock is the only place on campus where graffiti is allowed, and for decades, the thing has been painted over and over again, sometimes several times per day. Often, colorful Greek letters are splashed across this hunk of Earth located near Main St., but today, it’s a pink ribbon making a powerful statement. It says that Nicole and her pals are stepping into the ring with the disease that took the life of Nicole’s mom, Amy’s cousin, and countless other loved ones.
Nicole and gang will walk in the Susan G. Komen 3-Day For the Cure July 29-31 in Cleveland. Ohio. They’ll trek 20 miles over the course of three days, and while math isn’t exactly my thing, I am able to figure out that these girls will conquer 60 whopping miles, and let’s just agree that this is a serious undertaking.
Serious fundraising is also in the works for this monumental challenge — participants must raise $2,300 — and so, if you have a few bucks to spare and/or could use a 2011 tax deduction, head on over to Nicole’s donation page and sponsor the girl I first met at Kent State’s Stopher Hall (we lived on the same wing in this residence hall), and who, nearly 10 years later, when I was diagnosed with breast cancer, became one of my most loyal and hopeful supporters.
Thank you, Nicole, for all you do. You rock!