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Walkers Complete 60 Miles, Raising $6 Million for Breast Cancer (dateline May 12, 2000)


Nearly 2,800 walkers completed the first Avon Breast Cancer 3-Day walk of the season in Washington DC, helping to raise $6 million.   Nearly $4 million will go to help fund breast cancer research and promote awareness.  The group, which included approximately 400 breast cancer survivors, began their journey in Frederick, Maryland on May 5, 2000 and walked 60 miles to the Washington Monument in Washington, DC.     

In addition to the walkers, 500 volunteers helped to provide participants with food and drink and medical care.  According to the Washington Post, volunteers provided 36,400 gallons of water and cold drinks, 14,000 energy bars, 8,200 pounds of chicken, 8,300 bananas and more. 

Imaginis.com sponsored Melissa Rua, one of the walkers in the Washington DC event.  Rua, who recently completed her PhD in science education from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, lives in Northern Virginia with her husband, Dan, and their 22-month-old daughter, Delaney.  Like many of the other walkers, Rua began training for the 60-mile walk months earlier and participated in several training walks Avon organized.   

The next Avon Breast Cancer 3-Day event is scheduled for June 2-4, 2000 in Boston, Massachusetts.   Other 60-mile walks are scheduled later in the year in Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco.