Saturday, October 17th is the In Their Shoes Walk! If you are interested in being on the team to walk that day, please let Natalie Harris or Virna Mendoza know and also sign up online.

The Athens Area Cancer Auxiliary has reached its goal of raising $13,500 for In Their Shoes this year – and is well on its way to exceeding that goal! The team of 13 walkers has been named “Fit to Fight” and has prepared for the 13.1 mile walk through team trainings and In Their Shoes training sessions. This is the second year AACA has formed a team, and the fourth year the group has organized two cheering stations.

The Fit to Fight team has raised money through t-shirt sales, name recognition on the tshirts for $25, donation jars at local businesses, and monetary donations during the Shop, Sip, and Stroll event in Five Points. Each team member committed to raise $900 individually, and all other funds raised benefit the team as a whole. A final fundraising opportunity is scheduled for October 15 when the Cancer Auxiliary comes together to support their team emotionally and with a fun raffle prize, with all raffle proceeds benefiting the Fit to Fight team.

New members of the Cancer Auxiliary worked together to prepare for a cheering station the group is hosting during a social event at Blonde. Using the brightly colored signs and noisemakers the new members made, Cancer Auxiliary members will cheer on the 100-plus walkers as they move past First Baptist Church in the morning and around noon. Smoothie King is partnering with the Cancer Auxiliary to provide mini-smoothies for the walkers as they finish up their 13.1 mile walk by walking by First Baptist.

In Their Shoes is a one-day walk to benefit all cancer patients at the Loran Smith Center for Cancer Support at Athens Regional Medical Center. The walk raises awareness and recognition for women who have lived with breast cancer. To learn more about the walk, visit www.intheirshoesathens.org.

If you would like to join the AACA cheering station that day instead of walking, we’d love to have you! We will provide sign up sheets and more information at the upcoming meeting. There are many ways to get involved and many practice opportunities to get us ready for the big day! Just ask us how! Natalie Harris or Virna Mendoza.

Members of the 2009 “Fit to Fight” AACA Team include:

• Raegan Yeomans


• Sheila Snead


• Kasay Rabon


• Jacelyn Mccall


• Sarah Schmitt


• Becky Drayton


• Brandy Chandler


• Whitney Byce


• Lindsey McKinney


• April Pilcher


• Camilla Bracewell


• Kimberly Liebowitz


• Alison McCullick