Cancer Challenge gears up for June event

mile walk on Saturday.

Some special guests are scheduled. The Gould Brothers Exhibition Shooting Team will be at the Gun Range on Thursday, the practice day for the trap shoot tournament. On Friday, Eric Berry -- a former member of the Kansas City Chiefs and a cancer survivor -- will be at the gala.

It takes a small army of volunteers to pull it off, Rongers said, and she's still looking for more volunteers. Volunteers get an appreciation dinner, a T-shirt and a hat. Go to www.cancerchallenge.com/Volunteering/Volunteer_Registration.htm or call 479-273-3172.

All the money raised by the Cancer Challenge stays in the area. It's distributed through grants. Last year grants went to Circle of Life Hospice, Hope Cancer Resources, Northwest Arkansas Mercy Family YMCA, Washington Regional Cancer Support Home, UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, and Community Clinic. Grants may also fund access to clinical trials and other less-obvious needs including patients' transportation and support groups. The 2016 grant recipients will be announced later this week.

"It's a broad scope but very patient centered," Rongers said. "We're proud that we raise our money here and then we spend it here."

This is the 23rd year for the Cancer Challenge. It's been successful because of corporate sponsors and many of those have been with the project from the beginning, Rongers said.

General News on 05/25/2016