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Registration Upcoming for Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and members of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, in partnership with the American Cancer Society, are beginning to get the word out early about their Breast Cancer Making Strides Walk scheduled for Oct. 26.

This is the second year that the sorority has partnered both locally and nationally with the Cancer Society and, at a press conference Tuesday on St. Thomas, sorority members said they will be holding registrations throughout the district beginning this weekend.

“We want to make sure the entire public is informed and, while the event is scheduled for October, we’re going to get things started by holding registrations, reaching out to our survivors, selling remembrance cards and getting residents signed up for mammograms,” AKA publicity chairwoman Shayla Solomon said at the press conference.

Solomon said anyone interested in registering for mammograms must come into the American Cancer Society offices in September, on Wednesdays and Thursdays between 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Approximately 130 slots are available on St. Thomas, along with approximately 35 slots on St. John and 50 on St. Croix.

Lorraine Baa, American Cancer Society’s executive director for the territory, explained Tuesday that the Making Strides walk initially started out as a small event but has turned into a major fundraiser that has helped the organization further its public education efforts on breast cancer.

“The sorority joined with us last year,” Baa said, “and this year has really taken ownership of the event so it can be made available to a lot more people in the community.”

Baa added that she hopes the partnership will help “turn the community pink” for October as a show of support for breast cancer awareness.

Solomon said the first set of registration drives will be held on St. Thomas this Saturday between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. at the Alvaro de Lugo Post Office downtown (Post Office Square) and simultaneously at the Arturo Watlington Sr. Post Office in Frenchtown.

On St. John, also on Saturday, registration will be held at the Franklin Powell Park between 9 am. and 12 p.m.

The registration fee is $10 and each participant is asked to raise at least $30 for the cause. Alpha Kappa Alpha members encourage residents to spread the word at work, encouraging colleagues to form or join a team and participate in the event.

The goal is to raise $10,000 at each event, and members said St. Croix’s walk is scheduled for Oct. 18.

Another registration on St. Thomas-St. John will be held on Oct. 11 and Solomon said there are more activities to come leading up to the walk.

“In the meantime, we also want to encourage survivors to contact the American Cancer Society office,” she said. “It is important that they understand how much we want to recognize them in support of their fight against breast cancer.”

The Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk will take place at the Austin “Babe” Monsanto Marine Terminal, beginning at 5 p.m. on Oct. 26. For more information, contact Annette Henderson at (340) 998-3530, Anise Hodge at (340) 643-7453, the ACS office at (340) 775-5373 or msabcstt@gmail.com.

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