Konnar Hunter stood on the track, ready for the next 13 minutes. She looked at the different people around her. Some were old. Some were young. But they had all come together for the same cause.
The Pink Fest walk participants convened at the track on Oct. 24 in hopes of raising $40,000 for breast cancer research. Teams of at least four raised a minimum of $50 each, putting the final outcome of the Pink Fest fundraiser a little over $28,000.
“It was so cool because everyone there was so different,” senior Hunter said, “but we were doing it for the exact same reason.”
For the first 13 minutes, all participants gathered on the track. They walked in silence, knowing every thirteen minutes someone dies from breast cancer.
“My favorite part was the first 13 minutes to see everybody who came out to support and walk in unity,” Nicole Kidd said. “It showed we were all for one cause.”
Each team had to have at least two team members on the track at all times. Senior Kris Bohn was one of two participants on his team. Taking the rule to heart, they walked the whole eight hours – total of 22 miles.
“People walked what they thought was good enough,” Bohn said. “Some people walk two hours and were proud; I walked 8 hours and was proud of myself.”
Hunter and her teammate, Samantha Dodd, represented their team by jogging 13 minutes at the beginning. They walked the majority of the eight hours because there were only three people on their team. In the last 13 minutes, the girls decided to jog again, only this time seniors Robert Green and Trevor Callarman joined in.
“The last 13 minutes felt more powerful because everyone was walking,” Hunter said. “There was a rush of adrenaline; I didn’t even realize I was jogging.”
The walk provided bounce houses, dancing and different games and sports all over the field. Though the tradition of having a 3-day team from Legacy ended, a new tradition began out on the field.
“It was a completely different type of experience from the 3-day,” Pink Fest sponsor Dena Schimming said. “But it was very inspiring to see so many students participate.”
