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By Stephen Press
Hometown Weekly Staff
From the look of it, you could have been fooled into thinking there was a vital sporting event or concert. The town of Walpole was out in full force on the evening of October 13, packing the high school parking lot as it often does for a big game.
Michaela Donato, Taylor Petrucci and Lauren Bean pose at the inaugural Walpole Walk for Breast Cancer.
This was different, however. Instead of a sea of Rebels colors, hot pink clothing and accessories dominated the fading light of the evening.
This was Walpole’s Walk for Breast Cancer, an event to benefit the American Cancer Society (ACS). For the last five years, Walpole’s high school students and teachers participated in the Making Strides walk in Boston, raising thousands of dollars for the ACS. The prohibitive cost of buses combined with a decline in student participation, however, had reduced the financial impact of the town’s donations. It was time to start a new tradition.
Enter the brand-new Walk for Breast Cancer, which sent approximately 200 participants walking on a 1.4-mile loop around the town center and then back to the high school, all in the name of cancer research.
“I felt the event was successful; we received many donations from citizens who could not attend, as well as the support of many local businesses,” commented Kerry McMenimen, Student Council advisor and English teacher at Walpole High. “However, the support of the town administrator and the Walpole Police Department truly helped make this event possible.”
“I have been Student Council adviser for 10 years at Walpole and the Walpole community has been - and continues to be - supportive of our efforts. I have found the students at Walpole High want to give back to the town and improve the community. That altruism is taught early and is a credit to their upbringing,” she added before adding a final concluding remark: “Perhaps volunteerism is in their DNA!”
Those wishing to donate to the Walk for Breast Cancer, post-event, may do so by visiting www.gofundme.com/2rz69g4.
