Community Corner
Row For The Cure Raises Hope, Awareness
Komen Atlanta joins with rowing clubs for breast cancer awareness event.
Anyone who drove by Roswell's Azalea Park on Saturday probably noticed the street lined with parked cars and plenty of people in pink t-shirts during the Fifth Annual "Row for the Cure" event on the Chattahoochee River.
For the 12-hour event, Komen Atlanta teamed with four local rowing clubs to raise both breast cancer awareness and funds for women to get cancer screenings. Two-hundred and fifty rowers made up the four participating teams from Georgia State, Georgia Tech, St. Andrews and the and the ages ranged from college students to senior citizens. Each of the clubs raised money for the cause prior to participating in the event.
Kelly Dolan, executive director of Komen Atlanta, said the teams not only competed against each other in rowing, but also to see who could raise the most funds for the event with pledges and donations.
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“All women need to have access to screening. Our mission is to enable to detect and survive,” Dolan said. “Since 75 percent of the funds stay local, these kinds of community events help with that.”
Joint event organizer Deb Ferrell said U.S. Rowing adopted "Row for the Cure" as their pet community service project. Since its creation in 2006, more than $200,000 has been raised for Komen Atlanta. Over $75,000 was raised in 2010 alone. The Atlanta Masters Rowing Club joined with the junior rowing club, a team made up of seventh and eighth graders, who also decided to get involved.
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“My mom is a survivor, too, and that’s why I’m here,” Ferrell said. “But the fact that junior rowers like to get involved, that’s what really keeps us going.”
Many families came out to watch the day's events, including Shumait Leibou from Israel. Her son, Stav, was one of the rowers.
"We're happy that our son is participating in this," Leibou said. "We're excited to be a part of it."
Event Organizer Jean Passarello also had a personal reason for being involved with "Row for the Cure."
“I am a breast cancer survivor, so this is very rewarding,” Passarello said. “It’s a way for me to say thank you and hope that others have the same opportunity as me. Plus, we love seeing the teenage boys in pink!”
Anyone interested in the work and events of Komen Atlanta can visit their website.
