Glen Cove elementary schoolers will join forces to fight breast cancer later this month at Connolly School’s ninth annual Breast Cancer Walk-a-Thon. The event will be held at Connolly School at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 16, and will raise funds for Glen Cove CARES and the American Cancer Society.
This year the school aims to raise over $1,000 total, to be split between the two organizations. Parents and community members are welcome and encouraged to wear pink to showcase their support.
The event started about 10 years ago, when one of the school librarians was diagnosed with breast cancer.
“We wanted to do something special,” said Susan Stanco, a Connolly staff member who is organizing the event.
Since then the walk-a-thon has become a school tradition during October — also known as Breast Cancer Awareness Month — where students and staff members showcase their support in the battle against cancer.
This year Stanco said the school will be selling pink lemonade the week of the event to help raise funds. The funds will be divided between the American Cancer Society and Glen Cove CARES.
The American Cancer Society is an organization over 100 years old, which aims to help prevent, detect, treat, and survive cancer through advocacy and research, according to its website. Glen Cove CARES is a local organization that provides women with access to mammograms, Stanco said.
Last year, the fundraiser raised $1,600, according to the district’s Facebook page. The district said over $600 came from fifth-grader Mackenzie Alessandro, who sold bracelets for the event. Stanco said this year the school hopes to exceed $1,000.
Stanco said students have the opportunity to honor those in their lives who are currently fighting the disease.
“During the fundraiser, children hold signs with who they are walking for,” she said.
