RACE FOR THE CURE

My love for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure started innocently enough some 23 years ago.  Someone whose name has got lost called me asking for columns along the walk / race and asked me if I could do something like that on a Sunday morning, early. The answer was yes….  Little did I know that would be the beginning of a 22 year long love affair.

The next couple years grew from its humble start of 3,500 walker / racers to a much larger crowd and they wanted to recognize the Survivors on the steps of the Denver City and County Building.  Where we provided a pink and white arch for the Survivors to walk under, it was a tradition that lasted until the event moved to the Pepsi Center

I got a call from what has now become a long time friend named Lisa May to discuss how to make the ceremony more important.  I meet with Lisa and her friend Anne Drake to come up with something unusual and eye catching.

Since Komen was noted for its Pink Ribbon, I suggested how about a giant pink ribbon out of balloons floating over the stage.  They both loved the idea….one problem … I didn’t know how to make one and neither did anyone else in the country. 

I happened to be sitting on my deck and the garden hose was there.  I had eureka moment and moved the hose into the shape of a ribbon.  That is how I came up with the giant pink ribbon made out of balloons.

For 22 years the giant pink ribbon has been the single most photographed item at the Race.   Balloons by Absolute Value has provided other balloon décor for the Race but the giant pink ribbon became iconic thanks to Gary Shapiro of Channel 9 News.

I watched the Race grow from 3,500 walker / racers to over 60,000 participants. Sadly the race got caught up in a political fight and the numbers have dropped over the years.

I still have a love affair with the Race even though I am no longer involved in the race.  Please support the Komen Foundation because breast cancer knows no boundaries. It attacks both sexes, all races, all religions and all ages.