Region Comes Together to Help Whiting Stomp Out Breast Cancer

Whiting is on a mission to paint the town pink. The quest continued on Saturday with the Stomp Out Breast Cancer 5K run and walk; an event put on with the help of Methodist Hospitals to help raise funds and awareness for Breast Cancer research.

Waves of pink engulfed Oil City Stadium and 119th Street. Stephanie Madison, an event organizer, took pride in the turnout.

“A lot of the walkers were here from Whiting because they wanted to support the community,” she said. “But we have walkers all the way from Chicago to Lowell- people come from all over.”

Madison said she believed that the Little City by the Lake energized the event.

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“People love Whiting, and they want to support a good cause,” she said. “We always say thank you to the city of Whiting, because without this town, we would not be able to put on any of these events at all.”

Kathleen Ulm, another event organizer, was dancing up a storm at Oil City Stadium. Her enthusiasm warmed up the frigid Whiting morning.

“I was cold, I love dancing and I have to get my cardio in somehow,” Ulm said. “This event is more like a community walk and run. We love having it in Whiting because of the community.”

Ulm is planning even bigger things for the future.

“Hopefully, after all the construction is done, we will be able to walk along the lakefront next year,” she said.

The event struck personal chords with participants. Walker Sergio Medina, who operates the Ultimate Taekwondo Training Center in Whiting, brought a horde of his young trainees with him.

“It is special to us because we have over 100 kids from our taekwondo school,” Medina said. “A lot of their parents went through cancer, so they are here to support them.”

The walk has become a yearly tradition for Medina. He said that he is always moved by the event.

“For me, it’s special because my mother went through cancer,” he said. “She battled it, she fought it and that is why this event means a lot to me and my family.”

Participants came to Whiting for different reasons, but they stand united in stomping out cancer.