Pink was the color of choice for participants in the fifth annual "Think Pink" breast cancer awareness walk in historic downtown Opelika Saturday morning.
Opelika Main Street, East Alabama Medical Center and the American Cancer Society hosted the event, which featured a one-mile walk, live entertainment and a reception for participants in the walk.
Velinda Wheeles, director of Opelika Main Street and an 11-year cancer survivor, said five years ago she learned EAMC did not yet sponsor an event during October for breast cancer awareness month.
Wheeles said she told the hospital she would love to do something to raise awareness in the area.
"We met for about an hour, we walked away and 'Think Pink' is now what it is," Wheeles said. "We have grown every year."
More than 500 people pre-registered for this year's event, Wheeles said.
Registration was $12 including a "Think Pink" T-shirt, and all proceeds benefited the breast cancer foundation at EAMC.
"Last year, we raised almost $5,000 with 'Think Pink' to help women in this area pay for their mammograms," Wheeles said.
Colleen Alsobrook, breast health navigator at EAMC, said she received a donation check for $2,000 from a charity tennis match a few weeks ago.
"Other people have given donations as well," Alsobrook said. "All proceeds go toward our fund for under served or under insured women to get mammograms."
Alsobrook said donations for the event included the food available for participants. Local businesses provided refreshments.
"We're very fortunate," Wheeles said. "We've had so many wonderful people within our community that have donated items."
Wheeles said the main goal of the event was to stress the importance of early detection.
"It is not an old person's disease," Wheeles said. "I was diagnosed with breast cancer in my 30s, and I had a 10-month-old."
Alsobrook said one in eight women will develop breast cancer in her lifetime.
"I hope I will never have to hear my daughter say, 'Mom, I have breast cancer,'" Wheeles said.
She said one way the event raised awareness was by providing information about breast cancer.
"What we are offering is a one-mile informational walk (with) 'did you know' signs along the way," Wheeles said. "It has helped me along my way with survivorship."
Wheeles said participants could also gather more information from the different tents set up along Main Street.
"I think we all have a big stake in this," Wheeles said, "because everybody down here has had someone within their life that has been touched by breast cancer. This is their way of remembering their loved ones."
Participants had the opportunity to wear handwritten signs on their backs in honor of someone in their lives who had breast cancer.
"It gives you chill bumps to think this many people have been touched by cancer," Wheeles said. "At the same time, you know you're doing a good thing."
Participants were treated to a reception featuring live entertainment from Lee County Junior Miss Addie Garner, as well as a dancing ensemble called the Yahooters.
"We figured we're just a bunch of yahoos, so we call ourselves the Yahooters," said Donna Layson, a four-year cancer survivor and member of the Yahooters. "We have a great time."
Layson said the Yahooters have been in four Christmas parades and the Alabama governor's inaugural parade.
The Yahooters won a $1,000 award for another parade in Montgomery.
"We're not like the Rockettes or anything, but we try," said Sylvia Whorton, a member of the Yahooters, whose sister is a two-and-a-half-year breast cancer survivor.
In addition to the live entertainment, several shops in downtown Opelika were open and offered participants in the walk special sales and discounts.
Michelle Murphy and Collins Henderson, who both work for UPC at Auburn, said they were participating in the event for the first time.
Murphy and Henderson said they have had relatives or close friends affected by breast cancer.
"Any time you can bring awareness to something, get other people involved and let them know about the disease and how it can be fought, that is a great cause," Murphy said.
Alsobrook said she and her co-workers look forward to it every year.
"We're just trying to get the word out and have this as a celebration for life and the fact that early detection can save lives," Alsobrook said.
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