Meridian Community College staff and students were joined by several breast cancer survivors Tuesday to kick off the college’s annual observance of Breast Cancer Awareness Month and to promote its upcoming Queen City Race for Life and Street Strut.
This year’s Race for Life and Street Strut is planned for Saturday, Oct. 19, at the MCC track around the CD Smith Soccer Field. The 5k run and walk will begin at 8 a.m. followed by the 1-mile fun run and walk at 9 a.m. with the Street Strut taking place afterwards.
“This event has and will continue to be a powerful reminder of our dedication to fighting breast cancer and supporting those who have been affected by the disease,” said Phyllis Holladay, a math instructor and Phi Theta Kappa adviser who has helped to organize the event for more than 15 years.
In holding the annual Race for Life and Street Strut, MCC seeks to pay tribute to breast cancer survivors and current breast cancer patients, as well as raise funds for the Baptist Cancer Center-Anderson Patient Benevolence Fund, she said.
The event was founded in 2009 by Cindy Kane Schrock as an umbrella street strut to honor her sister, Judie Bounds Rutledge, who would go on to lose a difficult battle against breast cancer in 2012. The event, held in downtown Meridian during Holladay’s first year as an MCC instructor and PTK adviser, featured participants of all ages walking around Dumont Plaza carrying umbrellas hand-decorated with pink motifs, slogans, ribbons, glitter, flowers and more.
“The students wanted to recreate an event they had seen in another city here in Meridian. It was small, but special as we joined the local Carousel Breast Cancer Support Group,” she said.
The Street Strut evolved over the years, adding the 5k run and walk, and moved to MCC’s campus.
“This will be the fourth year the event will be held here at Meridian Community College, and it has been a great transition from downtown, and we are super excited to host again,” Holladay said.
Announced as ambassadors for this year’s Queen City Race for Life and Street Strut are Pam Mosley, an 8-year breast cancer survivor, and Taymecca Sears, a 5-year survivor, as well as Tom Bradshaw who is being honored as a caregiver.
Pre-event registration for the Queen City Race for Life is available online at time2run.raceentry.com/queen-city-race-for-life with an entry fee of $22 for both the 5k run and the 1-mile run. Packet pick-ups will be at the Quave Student Center on the MCC campus from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 18. Race day registration will begin at 6:30 a.m.
In another Breast Cancer Awareness Month event, MCC women’s and men’s soccer teams will host Jones College on Tuesday, Oct.15, and it will be a “pink out” game, Holladay said, encouraging spectators to come dressed in pink to watch the matches.