 The 2009 Pink Posse Walk took place Saturday, Sept. 19 at 8 a.m. in Brooks.
The Pink Posse Walk benefits breast cancer patients in Fayette and Coweta counties by raising money to help their medical costs and day to day expenses.
“I want to run this disease right out of town and help others in their fight,” said walk organizer Alice Ramsey, a breast cancer survivor.
Ramsey was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005. Her girlfriends attended all of her chemotherapy sessions clad from head to toe in pink and hospital staff deemed them the Pink Posse.
After hearing stories of daily financial struggles from other cancer patients, the Pink Posse organized its first walk in 2006 to help relieve some of that burden.
“As my mom always says, we can’t change the world but we can certainly change our corner,” said Ramsey.
“We get names of families who might need financial support from the hospital and sometimes word of mouth. So far, we’ve been able to help 57 families.”
The Posse is split into three different groups based on age. The Junior Posse are women under 40 years of age, the Regular Posse are ages 40-70, and the Senior Posse are ages 70 and up.
“Basically, the Senior Posse is my mother’s bridge club,” Ramsey joked.
The Pink Posse Walk has steadily grown in capacity and fundraising over the past three years. Attendance has gone up from 74 walkers in 2006 to 348 walkers last year and the organization raised $6,000 last year compared to $1900 its first year.
The route for the Pink Posse walk encompassed three counties in three miles. Walkers start at Ramsey’s House at 51 Mask Road, then continue to Brooks Road, Midville Road, Tri-County Road, Hickory Hill Road, and finish back on Mask.
“Police from all three counties- Fayette,
Coweta, and Spalding participate and lead us,” explained Ramsey.
Ramsey also conducts a raffle auction at her home, which features prizes donated by members of the community. Raffle tickets cost $1.
“I want to invite everyone in the community to come walk in my shoes with me on that day,” she said.
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