7th annual Creating Hope Walk

by Peri Kane, 12

Creating Hope’s motto is “inspiring cancer patients to find their way through each day toward survival” and that is exactly what happened on October 7th. On this day, Creating Hope had its 7th annual one mile walk to raise money for breast cancer. As soon as I walked into the Windermere Park I realized how much time and effort they put into this walk. There were booths everywhere, a live band, and free food and water.

There were many things they did at the booths. Artists were selling handmade bookmarks and paintings. A woman was selling homemade scarves. There were also Frank Bradford CDs, polished rocks, and door prizes. One of my favorites though was the signs you could put on your back. You put who you are walking for or in the memory of. Everywhere I turned there was a sign on someone’s back. A definite kid favorite was decorating the banners. Kids painted in between the lines of the banner in bright colors that said 2007 Hope and had breast cancer ribbons all over it. When it was all said and done, the banner definitely looked like a work of art.

We walked a mile all throughout Windermere. We walked up hills and around corners, all in the blazing, hot sun. Everyone was tired and hungry when we finally got back to the park. Luckily, there was pizza and cookies when we came back, and the band (Frank Bradford) was playing peaceful music. Founders of Creating Hope and people that helped organize the event made speeches about there thanks for all of the people coming to the walk.

You may be wondering what Creating Hope is. Creating Hope is an organization that raises money for breast cancer. It was founded in 2000 by Jeanette Shamblen, a breast cancer survivor. She was an artist and made it through chemotherapy through her love of art. She decided she wanted to help other breast cancer patients through art. So Jeanette decided to make Hope kits, kits with art supplies in them, and to send them to breast cancer patients. She saw the joy in the patient’s eyes and knew she was doing a great thing. She died in 2003 yet her legacy lives on. If you would like to find out about the next walk or donate a Hope kit, call (317)-595-8513 or log onto www.creating-hope.org.