Two area women participate in Race for the Cure
Lori Tajchman of Marion and Paula Hanschu of Ramona participated in the "Race for the Cure" held Sept. 27 in Wichita.
They were among the more than 6,000 people who registered and the 5,000 who walked. A $20 entrance fee was required.
The women got there early to enjoy pre-race activities. Sponsors like Blue Bunny, Sara Lee, and Yoplait were giving away items such as sunscreen and water bottles.
Before the walk began, a group of Girl Scouts said the Pledge of Allegiance and a cancer survivor sang the national anthem.
A Jazzercise class was offered to participants. Tajchman said she and Hanschu just watched.
Tajchman and Hanschu were pictured in the Wichita Eagle among a crowd of walkers waiting for the event to begin.
They were part of a 510-member team sponsored by KFDI and led by 101.3 disc jockey "Cornbread." Everyone on the team got a "Team Breadhead" T-shirt. This was in addition to receiving an official Race for the Cure long-sleeved shirt.
The walk began at 8:30 a.m. An Elvis impersonator and a drum corps entertained runners and walkers along the route.
The walk took almost an hour. After the race was completed, everyone got a rose and enjoyed water and juice.
"It was fun," Tajchman said. "Everybody was very friendly. We're going next year and we hope to bring more Marion people with us."
The Race for the Cure raised $175,000. According to Tajchman, 25 percent of the money will go to breast cancer research, and the remainder will be used to assist individuals who need testing and treatment.
