October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and walking has been a big way for supporters to help raise money. COVID-19 has stopped the physical strides, but one cancer organization is stepping out in another way.
Jodi Beasley is a senior community development manager at the American Cancer Society.
She said the Rockford community will do a pinwheel tribute garden in lieu of an annual walk.
“Where our participants can still register, raise some funds,"she explains, "but then also purchase a pinwheel in support of, in memory of or in honor of, a cancer survivor.”
She said the pinwheels will display messages that supporters share.
“They will be in a big grassy area just kind of spread out," she said. "And people can come and take pictures, pay tribute, and then bring their pinwheels home and put them in their own garden.”
The Making Strides of Rockford tribute garden is displaying Oct. 9 at 5 p.m. through the 11th at 3 p.m.
Similar Illinois events are taking place throughout the month.
- Yvonne Boose is a 2020 corps member for Report for America, an initiative of the GroundTruth Project. It's a national service program that places talented journalists in local newsrooms like WNIJ. You can learn more about Report for America at wnij.org.
