MERIDIAN, Miss. (Queen City Newsfeed) – The Queen City Race for Life and Street Strut, an annual event celebrating breast cancer survivors and raising awareness about the disease, returns Saturday, Oct. 18, at the Meridian Community College track.
The event, which begins at 8 a.m., includes a 5K run and walk, a one-mile fun run, and the signature Survivor Street Strut. Activities are designed to honor patients and survivors while raising funds for the Baptist Cancer Center-Anderson Patient Benevolence Fund.
Eagle Scholars Program Coordinator and Phi Theta Kappa advisor Phyllis Holladay, who has helped organize the event for more than 16 years, described the atmosphere attendees can expect. “It’s going to be a fun filled day with lots of pink, so make sure you wear your pink. You can expect a fun filled atmosphere where we are honoring Breast Cancer Survivors. We do the umbrellas and all of that. It’s just a very special day. The runners hand out afterwards to honor them. There’s lots of door prizes, we’ll have a kids area for them to play games and get their face painted, but most importantly, like I said, you can just expect a fun filled family atmosphere. There’s something for everybody,” Holladay said.
This year’s ambassadors include community residents Jackie Kidd and sisters Hazel Temple and Clementine Temple. 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.
Holladay noted that the event’s origins date back to a Phi Theta Kappa initiative to recreate a street strut they had seen in another city. They partnered with the local CAREousel support group and, the following year, joined forces with Cindy Kane, who launched a breast cancer race in memory of her sister, Judy Bounds. Kane also funds an MCC scholarship in Bounds’ name, awarded annually to a student honored at the race.
The Queen City Race for Life and Street Strut is part of MCC’s monthlong observance of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Earlier this month, MCC’s men’s and women’s soccer teams hosted East Mississippi Community College for Pink Out games, with athletes wearing pink to show 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
