Race for the Cure 2015

Posted on October 13, 2015 by komenarkansasblog

There is so much I could say about this years race…..but to me these photos say a lot. We are fighting for a CURE so soon our generations to come will only know that cancer USED to exist as well as healing those that are now fighting.

It is always my honor and privilege to be one of photographers on Race Day. I love capturing the special moments of everyone there….Teams of Co-Workers to Teams of Families! Survivors smiling big as they walk through the “Cheer” line to gather for the Parade to helping each other make it to…and through that Cheer line and so much more!

I’m honored to be a part of the AWESOME Race Committee that is made up of OVER 130 volunteers that truly put their heart and soul into making every Race Year successful and special. As I walk around photographing the special moments happening all around that day I see my fellow committee members doing their “jobs” pretty much all behind the scenes…..

See lots more photos from the AMAZING and BEAUTIFUL day of Race for the Cure 2015 at the following links:

https://shawnalongphotography.smugmug.com/Race-for-the-Cure-2015-Shawna/

https://shawnalongphotography.smugmug.com/Race-for-the-Cure-2015-by/

http://www.arkansasonline.com/galleries/20137/album/

Stay tuned for the 2016 Race Day announcement soon!!!!

Shawna Long

Race Chair 2016

Meet your 2015 Race Chair

Posted on October 1, 2015 by komenarkansasblog

2015 Race for the Cure Arkansas Chair

Jack is a native Arkansan. She moved to New York to finish high school and start college, but came back home to be closer to her roots. She and her husband, Jimmy, have one child. Moxley is 5. This is Jack’s 10th year to serve on the Komen Race Committee. She chaired the race operations committee until agreeing to chair the 2015 race.

“My immediate family does not have a history of breast cancer. Over my 10 years of involvement with Komen Arkansas, I have met many amazing survivors and heard innumerable stories of successes and, sadly, losses. I am very proud to be a part of an organization that gives SO much back to the state in terms of support and research.”

“I began volunteering with the Arkansas Affiliate of Susan G. Komen because a friend called me one day and said ‘my daughter is getting married on race weekend. Will you please come handle the operations?’ The rest is history, as they say. There are around 130 members of the Race Committee that start meeting in April to make this awesome event happen. This committee of people is simply amazing. There is so much time, effort, energy and HEART that is given to this race, it is impossible to put into words what a blessing every single one of them is.”

“I am a detail person. I love measurements, processes and results. I truly believe EVERY STEP COUNTS. Every step of research for a cure, every step of advancement for a cure, every step of diagnosis for a cure, every step of treatment for a cure, every step of recovery for a cure, every step of surviving for a cure, every step of co-surviving for a cure, every step you race for a cure…but MOST IMPORTANTLY, none of this is possible without every step you FUNDRAISE for a cure!”

Please come join the fight. Registration and fundraising are open! Go to www.komenarkansas.org and start with your first step! #neverstop

3 Miles of Men THV11 Garden Party

Posted on September 30, 2015 by komenarkansasblog

Each year THV11 is so awesome to host a Weather Garden Party for Komen Arkansas to promote the 3 Miles of Men Tailgate Party! This year, as in every year, we had a great time! Thank you THV11 for having us!

A few of our awesome Three Miles of Men

Co-Chair Shawna Long and Race Chair Jack Powell

A awesome group of ladies!

Garden Party Group!

Al and the Gang

Only one day to go (Thursday October 1st) before the 3 Miles of Men Tailgate Party at Diamond Bear Brewing Company! Register online, or you can register at the door at the Tailgate Party. Free pizza from Larry’s Pizza, free beer and root beer from Diamond Bear, and lots of door prizes and a a great fishing trip raffle. Come join the fun, help us become the LARGEST race in the US, and help us support the Race for the Cure!

Runway for a Cause

Posted on September 30, 2015 by komenarkansasblog

There is so very much that I want to say about Runway for a Cause 2015…..but It was AMAZING and SPECIAL really says it all. You must be there for the 2016…you must…..here are many reasons why……..

The lights went out back stage during hair and makeup for a little while….not a problem for this group….They just got out their phones and turned on the flashlight!

Our oldest models in age….youngest at heart!

Runway Chair Coco Dorsey and Family. Great job Coco and crew!

Shout out to the AT&T Life Pioneers!

Posted on September 2, 2015 by komenarkansasblog

You guys ROCK!!!!

Every year since 2010 the AT&T Life Pioneers have helped out during Race Season…..ALOT!

Here are the AT&T Life Pioneers Wheelchair Ramp Crew helping move things for Komen Arkansas from storage to our Warehouse to help us get setup to get the Party started on t-shirt mail out and Race Space!

Thank you SOOOOOO very much for all your help! We really appreciate you guys VERY much!!!!!

Mayflower Ink

Posted on August 25, 2015 by komenarkansasblog

Mayflower Ink was in the house for the 2015 Komen Arkansas Kickoff Party!

Taylor, Cindy and Kevin Mathis of Mayflower Ink

Mayflower Ink is our TEAMS t-shirt sponsor this year. They will be donating $1 per t-shirt for all Race for the Cure Arkansas shirts they print. We are so happy to have them on board with us this year! Check out their postcards below for all their information or click on the following links: https://www.facebook.com/mayflowerink?fref=ts and http://www.mayflowerink.com/

Race Season 2015 Kickoff Party is in the books!

Posted on August 24, 2015 by komenarkansasblog

It hasn’t hardly rained in weeks but Saturday early a.m. it was dark…rainy…thundering and lightening. We had no doubts though that our prayers would be heard for a beautiful day for our Kickoff Party…..It was a BEAUTIFUL day!!

Thank you to all that came out to the Promenade at Chenal. Our Kickoff Party was the first event to be held in their new area! It was PERFECT! Thank you so much to the Promenade for allowing us to hold our event there AND to all that you did for us leading up to it! Special thanks to Bethany Siems with the Promenade for all your help and coming out to join us! You ROCK!

Kate Dunnavant, Bethany Siems and Race Chair Jack Powell

The Kickoff Party is a special event for us because it really does mark the beginning of RACE SEASON for the committee! Planning the Race starts early in the year but this is the time when it really starts getting real yo! We.love.it. So many are so passionate about this Race…..Every Step Counts….Every Event Counts leading up to it.

Special thanks also to CHI St Vincent,Grantees, and to the UAMS Mammovan!

Thank you to Dustin Free for bringing out the Pink Firetruck! He was so nice and helpful! Thank you for bringing out the truck, helping with the event, taking lots of pictures and sometimes just holding stuff, Ha!

Dustin Free with the NLR Fire Department

Check out this video that captures the feel of the Kickoff Party and those beautiful faces that were there: http://flipagram.com/f/azgscCxL8d It was SO nice to meet you all!!!!!

ALSO here are all the photos….check them out…save them…share them. Please attach our 2015 hashtags: #KomenAR and #neverstop when posting on Social media! https://shawnalongphotography.smugmug.com/2015-Komen-Kickoff-Party/

I cannot tell you enough what an awesome committee Komen Arkansas has. It takes a lot just to set up for an event like this….they were ON IT! And tear down…..what event…..tear down was so quick and efficient it looked like it never happened. Thank you to all that helped out! EVERY STEP COUNTS…..Every Person Counts to make something like this go so well….I did not get a group photo of everyone that helped (they usually run from me when they see me coming with a camera for some reason, ha!) but this photo is a good representation of some amazing people that I am TRULY blessed to be a part of:

Oh, and Pinky the Pig ROCKED the party! You will see more of her for sure!!

Kathy Webb~Our Honorary Survivor 2015

Posted on August 19, 2015 by komenarkansasblog

Kathy head down the cheerleader lined path for the Survivor Parade 2014

Meet our Honorary Survivor 2015 Kathy Webb. We are so very pleased to have her a part of it all this year! Her speech at the Press Conference was so good that we want to make sure everyone has a chance to read it.

Here is it:

Thank you very much. It’s an honor to be with these talented people, and serve as the Honorary Survivor Chair.

In 1990, I took my first step, for my friend MJ. She’d just had surgery for breast cancer, and she’d seen that a Race for the Cure was coming to Washington. We didn’t know much about it, but she told us where to sign up and where to be, and we were there! VP Dan Quayle kicked off the Race, then a sea of people filled PA Avenue, making every step count as we headed toward the Capitol. Each year, we marked our calendars for race day, and we showed up.

When I moved to Chicago, I promised MJ I’d make every step count there. I called Dallas for info, and was disappointed to learn there was no Affiliate and no Race. I told them I was a pretty good organizer and before long someone from Dallas and some of Suzy Komen’s friends from Peoria came to see me. Soon, I accepted the responsibility of Founding President of the Chicago Affiliate. I’ll always cherish the memory of our first Race, seeing the sun rise on Lake Michigan and the crowd filling Grant Park.

We had researchers funded by Komen who came to our meetings; we got to hear and see first-hand how the research they were doing might be that step leading to a cure-how every step counts!

Eventually, I moved to LR, and continued to walk, with MJ’s name and now others written on my back.

Then, on May 17, 2013, I heard those words, “Kathy, you have breast cancer.” Even in my state of shock, I knew that every step I had taken would give my family, friends and me the hope and strength to prevail in our fight.

Race day 2013, I couldn’t go the whole way, but every step I took counted. Last year, I went the distance, determined to get to the survivor parade. And I did.

It’s been 25 years since I took those first steps with MJ. This year, with every step, I’ll celebrate her 25 years as a survivor and our other survivors, I’ll honor and remember those we’ve lost, and I’ll make every step count so that my friend who was just diagnosed will feel the power of our love and support just as I have.

Every step counts-no one knows that more than Herren Hickingbotham, representing Race for the Cure’s founding sponsor, Hickingbotham Investments.

Press Conference 2015

Posted on August 14, 2015 by komenarkansasblog

There was a GREAT turn out for this years Komen Arkansas Press Conference at Simmons First Bank in Downtown Little Rock!!! It was FULL of amazing, encouraging and inspiring speakers. Thank you so much to all of you that took time out to come out and be apart of it. It was short…sweet and to the point but full of information and excitement to lead us in to, a sure to be, AWESOME race season!

EVERY STEP COUNTS to help end Breast Cancer….there is nothing like the Little Rock Komen Arkansas Race for the Cure. We are headed to be the number 1 Race for the Cure in the US! Register now at www.komenarkansas.org to be a part of it!

Race Chair Jack Powell is SUPER excited about this year! She announced and presented the tshirt designs, fundraising prize, other Komen events coming up and MORE!

Herren Hickingbotham our Founding Sponsor presents John Hathaway with a very well deserved Co-Survivor of the Year award. Standing at his side, as he has for her, his wife Pam Hathaway.