Women and men are invited to strut down Michigan Avenue in their highest stilettos for breast cancer research.
To kick off Paint Big Rapids Pink, Ferris students, alumni and community members are welcome to strap on their stilettos to raise money for the Susan P. Wheatlake Cancer and Wellness Fund of the Big Rapids Hospital Foundation.
The Stiletto Sprint will take place at 6 p.m. Oct. 7 in downtown Big Rapids. The race will start in front of Chemical Bank and end at the intersection of Michigan and Maple.
Pre-registration will take place at 5 p.m. in front of Natural Beauty, located at 106 N. Michigan Ave.
Registration fee is $10 and participants must be at least 18 years old on the day of race.
Three different races will take place including Women’s, Men’s and Anything Goes. Shoes will be examined by race officials and are subject to rejection. Racers with rejected shoes may participate in the Anything Goes race.
First place winners for the women’s and men’s races will be awarded $100. A “Best Dressed” award will be given to the person who shows up in their best “pink attire.” All awards will be given after races are complete.
“I would love for Ferris students to participate or just come out and have fun,” Pat Beetley, co-coordinator of Paint Big Rapids Pink, said.
For some participants, cancer has directly affected their families.
“My grandma died of Leukemia when I was four years old,” Ferris alumna Stephanie Noud said. “I just feel that if I can help raise money for cancer research and save someone else’s grandma, I will.”
In addition to the race, children’s activities including flying disc toss will start at 5:45 p.m. Brutus the Bulldog will make an appearance and will be available for photos.
“I really enjoy the group of ladies that put [Paint Big Rapids Pink] on,” Ferris alumna Lori Copeman said. “They have a lot of fun and the events brings us all together.”
Ferris’ registered student organization Colleges Against Cancer (CAC) will be sponsoring the event.
“Colleges Against Cancer is a larger group on campus. We do more with the community and so Big Rapids contacted us to sponsor the event,” Ferris sophomore and member of CAC, John Letherer said. “We will be handing out information at the homecoming game to get more Ferris students to know about it.”