Queen City Race for Life and Street Strut set for Oct. 18
The Queen City Race for Life and Street Strut, an event that celebrates survivors, honors patients, and raises awareness about breast cancer, returns Saturday, Oct. 18, at the Meridian Community College track.
The announcement of the event was held at the College’s Phi Theta Kappa Courtyard and it ushered in the observance as October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It also spotlighted the community residents serving as this year’s ambassadors which include Jackie Kidd and sisters Hazel Temple and Clementine Temple.
The annual event raises funds for the Baptist Cancer Center-Anderson Patient Benevolence Fund. Activities include a 5K run and walk, a one-mile fun run, and the signature Survivor Street Strut. All events begin at 8 a.m.
Eagle Scholars Program Coordinator and Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) advisor Phyllis Holladay, who has helped organize the event for more than 16 years, noted this will be the fifth year the race and strut will be held on campus after moving from downtown Meridian.
Holladay recalled that the idea first began when PTK students wanted to recreate a street strut they saw in another city. They joined the local CAREousel support group, and the following year, PTK partnered with Cindy Kane, who launched a breast cancer race in honor of her sister, Judy Bounds. Today, the event continues in her memory. Kane also funds an MCC scholarship in Bounds’ name, which is awarded annually to a student honored at the race.
Packet pick-up will be held Friday, Oct. 17, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Quave Student Life Center. Registration is $25 for the races and $10 for the street strut.
As part of MCC’s monthlong observance of breast cancer awareness, the Eagles men’s and women’s soccer teams will host East Mississippi Community College on Tuesday, Oct. 7, for Pink Out games, with MCC athletes donning pink in support.
“As you can see, there are many ways to get involved and support this wonderful cause,” Holladay said.
For more information or to register, visit meridiancc.edu/streetstrut.