How to cheer on participants at this weekend’s Philadelphia Susan G. Komen walk
Walkers Bridget Rose and Kristina Wesselink pose with cheerers Maya Gerlach and Annika Forsthoefel at the Chestnut Hill cheering station last October. (Jen Bradley/for NewsWorks)
Why should you cheer on the walkers?
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and Philly kicks it off with a bang! Walkers at the Susan G. Komen 3-Day walk from Willow Grove all the way to the Navy Yard. A total of sixty miles in three days.
They walk for many reasons. Some are survivors themselves, others walk in honor of friends and family members who’ve conquered, are fighting, or been lost to breast cancer.
Each three-day walker has personally raised a minimum of $2,300 to go towards breast cancer awareness and research. Seventy-five percent of the money raised goes to support research and public health outreach.
It’s an amazing sight to see, so many mothers, daughters, friends, partners, husbands, sons, aunts, uncles and grandparents from all walks of life… all marching for better health for women. It’s a contagiously inspiring event.
Where can you cheer on the walkers?
Lucky for you, there are three days and five cheering stations in different locations to choose from:
Friday:
Chestnut Hill Cheering Station Open 9:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. Germantown Avenue (Between Gravers & Hartwell Lanes) in Chestnut Hill
Saturday:Chili’s /Lord & Taylor Cheering Station Open 8:15 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. City & Belmont Avenues inBala Cynwyd
Penn Wynne School Cheering Station Open 10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Haverford Road & Suffolk Lane in Penn Wynne
Sunday:Thomas Paine Plaza Cheering Station Open 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. 1401 JFK Boulevard in Center City
South Street Cheering StationOpen: 10:15 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. 2nd Street (Between Pine & South Streets) Philadelphia, PA 19147
How should I cheer them on?
Pink is a very popular color choice, but not mandatory. Outrageous attire helps keep the mood light and the walkers amused. Candy is a nice treat. We learned last year that people preferred wrapped candy, so treats like sour balls were a big kit. My daughters loved giving out candy and making signs for the walkers.
So let’s show some sisterly love to walkers this year. Dance, cheer, sing, smile, high-five and just tell let them know how awesome they are for coming to Philly to help find a cure for this awful disease.
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