Registrations strong for Saturday’s Cancer Walk

    Not only will Saturday’s All Cancer Color Walk celebrate those individuals fighting or who survived the disease, but it’s also a salute to getting back outdoors for the event.
    Not since 2019 has the Chase County Community Hospital-sponsored event been outdoors due to COVID concerns.
    A return to the outdoors may have helped boost participation and sponsorships, said committee chairperson Jaime Hiett.
    As of Tuesday morning, 146 participants were registered, with almost $13,000 raised, the largest ever for sponsorships, donations, registrations and raffle ticket sales, said Shawn Jaeger, committee member and the hospital’s Foundation & Marketing Coordinator.
    In some of the past Cancer Walks, a specific cancer type was highlighted. This year, all forms of cancers and their colors are the focal point, Hiett noted.
    Colored chalk will be given to each participant, along with a white T-shirt. At the start, each will have their own small cup of colored chalk particles to toss up into the air on themselves.
    As they walk or run the 5K route throughout town, there will be three stations set up where walkers/runners will be doused with colored chalk again, she said.
    Saturday’s Cancer Walk will follow a route around Imperial, after a group departure from City Square—the area between 7th and 8th Streets on Broadway.
    Participants can run or walk the route which will be clearly marked, Hiett said.
    Registration starts at 9 a.m. with the walk taking off at 9:30 a.m. from City Square.
    Between registration and the start of the walk/run, Rylie Mintling will read a letter from her aunt, cancer survivor Roz Sheldon, originally from Wauneta.
    Hiett noted proceeds from the cancer walk help offset costs for patients who are receiving cancer treatments and those who obtain prevention and detection services.
    Registrations from both teams and individuals continue to be accepted, Hiett said, and will be up until Saturday morning.

    The pre-registration deadline has passed, and only a few T-shirts are left. Hiett said if they don’t have a T-shirt available for them Saturday morning, one will be ordered and provided later.
    A raffle is also part of the fundraising, Hiett said, and the prizes include four gift packages—a half side of beef, a flat top grill/griddle with cooler, a 2-day Black Hawk getaway with $100 cash card and two Husker tickets to the Oct. 29 Illinois game with a $100 cash card.
    Raffle tickets are $10 each, 7 for $50 and 15 for $100 and can be purchased Saturday morning. Winners will be chosen after the walk, and do not need to be present, Hiett said.
    Persons or teams wanting to register before Saturday morning can contact Hiett at 308-882-7256.
    Individuals can take part at $20. Groups of four or more will pay $15 per person.
    There are also several levels of business, organization or individual sponsorship, which provide various numbers of T-shirts and registrations depending on the sponsorship level.
    Three food trucks and a coffee truck will be on site at City Square from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. Hiett said even if not taking part in the walk, people are invited to come enjoy the food.
    Jaeger noted the hospital has raised more than $165,000 to support cancer patients in Chase County since the event began in 2010.