Join Walk and Roll to support cancer fight
Individuals who want to make a difference in the fight against cancer this spring can join the thousands of walkers, skaters and bicyclists who support the American Cancer Society by participating in the fifth annual Walk and Roll Saturday, May 11, at Festival Park in Elgin. Registration opens at 8 a.m. with opening ceremonies beginning at 9 a.m.
Walk and Roll is a family-friendly event and is one of the American Cancer Society’s largest annual fundraisers in Illinois.
Participants can choose to walk, bike or skate multiple distances that span a morning or day, and wagons, strollers, tricycles and wheelchairs are welcome. There are options to participate individually or form a team with co-workers, friends and family to honor or remember loved ones that have battled cancer.
At the Fox Valley event, walkers with leashed dogs can take them on the 5K “puppy” path. This year, they hope to attract more than 10,000 participants between the three Illinois locations and raise $1 million statewide to help people stay well and get well, to fund and find new cures, and to rally people to fight back.
“While today, two out of every three people diagnosed with cancer are surviving, it’s time to finish the fight against this disease and save lives faster by taking action,” said volunteer Katie Michel, who is walking for her dad, Steve Michel, a skin cancer survivor.
“Walk & Roll is an uplifting event that brings the community together to fight this disease that has touched so many people we know.”
Every dollar raised at Walk and Roll makes a difference by supporting lifesaving research to fight every form of cancer and enabling the society to offer free resources and services to cancer patients and their families. In fact, more than 400 people a day in the U.S. are celebrating birthdays that would have otherwise been lost to the disease.
Participants raise funds prior to the event and then take part in an empowering day that celebrates survivors, remembers those lost and takes a stand in the fight against cancer.
Locations for Walk and Roll in the Chicago area include:
Ÿ Chicago: Saturday, April 27, at Soldier Field-Stadium Green. Registration at 8:30 a.m. for the 5K walk, 5K skate or 15k bike.
Ÿ Fox Valley: Saturday, May 11, in Festival Park, Elgin. Registration at 8 a.m. for the 5-mile walk, 10-mile skate or 15-mile bike.
Ÿ Lake County: Saturday, May 18, at Independence Grove, Libertyville. Registration at 8 a.m. for the 5-mile walk, 5-mile skate, or 10-mile bike.
There is a $15 pre-event registration fee for all participants ages 18 and older, or $20 day of event. Participants are encouraged to raise $100 to receive a free event T-shirt. Most participants aim for a goal of $250 or more. To register, or learn more about the event, visit www.WalkRoll.org or call (630) 879-9009.