WAVERLY, N.Y. -- In the brisk air on Saturday morning, more than 150 people gathered by ElderWood Healthcare in Waverly, N.Y., dressed in pink shirts, shorts, hats and bandanas, and ready for the fourth annual Ann Marie Kraus Memorial 5K Run/Walk.
Kraus had been a dietitian at Tioga Nursing Facility, now known as ElderWood, and a mother of four children. In October of 2005, she lost a battle with breast cancer, and her coworkers organized the 5K event in her memory.
"We wanted to never forget her, and wanted to honor her and her children," said Maria Landy, executive director at ElderWood, who added that they also wanted to help all breast cancer survivors.
The path of the 5K went around a route that Kraus had walked every day, Landy said. She said that every day, she would leave work and walk home, get her children, walk back to the nursing facility, and return home.
"[People] would remember her as the woman with the stroller," Landy said.
Money raised from the event went toward two funds: the first being the Kraus Children Educational Fund, which helps Kraus' four children with their high education costs, and the second being the Nancy Quattrini Cancer Fund, which help supports local families who have been affected by breast cancer.
Joyce Gilford of Waverly was at the race on Saturday morning, decked out in pink gear.
She said she was diagnosed with breast cancer in January 2007.
"It's closer than you think sometimes," Gilford said.
Since finding out, she and her husband have been taking part in numerous races for breast cancer awareness, including a three-day event in Atlanta that they had to raise $2,200 to be in.
A group of family members huddled together before the race began, all wearing matching pink sweatshirts.
Shirley Spears said that they were all at the race to support her sister, Jane Sindoni, who is a survivor of breast cancer.
Sindoni said that it's great to have her family's support.
This year, Landy said there were more participants than past years.
Rachel Rossi, one of the organizers of the event, said that there was not only a record number of people at the 5K race, there was also a record number of high school students who came out to join the race.
Rossi said this could be due to the help of the Village of Waverly Trustees, who declared this weekend Breast Cancer Awareness Weekend in Waverly.
Several other things happened this weekend to raise awareness for breast cancer. A pink day was held by the Waverly High School, pink ribbons were painted on the football field for Waverly's game on Friday night, and some Waverly businesses held pink sales and donated a portion of their proceeds to breast cancer funds.
Dessert First was one of those businesses. Cindy Hamilton, owner of Dessert First, sold pink sugar cookies with pink ribbon sprinkles on them, donating a portion of the proceeds.
"It was just a very good cause," Hamilton said.
Landy said the event went from being an ElderWood event to being a community event.
"I hope they take away an appreciation for the fight against breast cancer," Landy said of the participants.
Tiffany Peden may be reached at (570) 888-9652; e-mail: reviewvalley@thedailyreview.com To see more of The Daily Review or to subscribe to the newspaper, visit http://www.thedailyreview.com. Copyright (c) 2008, The Daily Review, Towanda, Pa. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.
Copyright (C) 2008, The Daily Review, Towanda, Pa.