Susan G Komen Race for the Cure

All the girlies in their rainbow tutus and more than a few fellas as well braved the rain to make for yet another successful event, this time in the 2−0−1−3. This is a wonderful opportunity to meet a lot of service-​minded folks w/​hearts as big as all outdoors. Much thanks to everyone who helped make it possible and we’ll see you next year—
PS: I realize the Komen foundation has received much negative publicity and back — lash for some of their aggressive branding tactics and drama w/​the people @ Planned Parenthood, et al. I also realize it would be the easiest thing in the world to poke holes in just about any large charitable cause — - Why, just Look at Livestrong, for example. Most people were just in it, apparently, for the trendy yellow wristbands. Cancer has not, as far as I can tell, come any closer to being cured, Lance is a cheating, arrogant phony, and why does the world need «Cancer Awareness» advertised, anyways? Most people are already at least peripherally aware that Cancer exists… right? Same w/​the Jerry Lewis MD telethons, etc etc etc.
So much easier to tear down and criticize than to actually do something worthwhile in the world…

Today, I helped them save the boobies.
Hurrah for boobies!
Run with me. Walk with us. Join us for a worthy cause.

I could not imagine organizing an event of this magnitude, and am impressed annually that it just seems better every year, as it gets bigger and bigger. More than 40K people turned out along the waterfront/​downtown for the festivities, as thousands more showed support with their dollars online even if they don’t attend the actual race.
The «race» part of RFTC really only applies to the running segments, which are pretty leisurely themselves as events with that many people usually are. Team Unilocal did the Walk, and while a little slow going, it always powerful to see a group that large united for one common cause. I usually get a little choked up along the way.
Portland brought it big time this year, with the biggest turnout on the West Coast (bigger than LA!), and donations are still rolling in (you can still donate for this year’s Race through Oct 31). If you have never done one of these big walks before, I would encourage anyone to try this one, it really makes you appreciate all of the hard work that goes into an event like this, much more than just a monetary gift. Sure, it’s always kind of a madhouse down at Tom McCall Waterfront Park, but it’s worth traipsing around in a teeny bit of mud for the cause.
Extra points for Akemi, who spotted a lady givin’ a striptease up on the fifth floor of the Benson Hotel!

Trix are for kids, but boobies are for everyone.
I’m well convinced that this is not only the largest Race for the Cure event in the west, but one of the largest events on the streets of Portland. Over 40,000 folks all bedecked in pink. It was a little much.
This event is a fundraiser, but also a time for friends, family and co-​workers to walk together in memory of or in celebration of special women in their lives who have had to fight the battle. It was a pleasure to walk with Team Unilocal in our, «I ( Unilocal Burst) boobies» t-​shirts. I will say «Race» is a stretch, since it was so crowded, we did more of a shuffle for most of the 5k Walk.
For all the sadness associated with the disease, this is a remarkably fun and funny event. First off, you’ll never see so many breast puns and humorous t-​shirts in your life. Team names like «Little Kitties for Titties», «Surrender the Booby» (it was also ‘Talk like a Pirate’ day) and «Yes, these are fake. My real ones tried to kill me.» Men and women of all ages in hot pink t-​shirts, panties, wigs and sparkles. But probably the highlight were the ladies in lingerie in the windows of the Benson Hotel putting on a show for thousands of walkers heading down Broadway. Yes, ladies, we like your boobies too.
The event is well organized and the entire waterfront area is filled with booths, many of which have donated items from the sponsors. If I’ve learned anything from my friends and family who have battled cancer, it is that a cancer diagnosis is not the end. And rather than suffer in silence, it is a time to live, to laugh and to fight. And fortunately with ongoing fundraisers like these, many of my friends have lived to fight another day.
If you are feeling inspired, or just like boobies, there is still time to donate to Team Unilocal

The Oregon Race for the Cure is the largest Race for the Cure event on the west coast. In fact, Oregon’s is the 3^rd largest RFTC in the nation. That says something. People in Portland know how to support a great cause. And people in Portland know how to come out en masse to show that support.
This year (2010) was the second time I’ve come out for the event. The first was many years ago, when I was walking in support of a survivor friend of the family (yay Cheryl!). It was great to be there with so many people so passionate about the cause.
Fast forward many years, and this year Team Unilocal was formed to come out and simply show our support for the breast cancer cause in general. Bedecked in our «I (burst) boobies» shirts, we walked and rocked the 5K on what turned out to be a surprisingly sunny day. Even the weather gods love boobies, I guess.
This is a surprisingly well-​executed event for how many people come out. Of course on a wet day, Waterfront park is a mud pit, and of course there’s no way to make anything with tens of thousands of attendees run 100% smoothly, but as an event organizer myself, I have to give props to how well they set this thing up. With people as far as the eye could see in every direction, there were few problems to report.
If you want to see what a powerful amount of passion amongst a prodigious amount of people can produce, this is an event worth checking out. Just the energy produced by the massive horde alone is awe inspiring.