The Alton Blakley 5K Run / Walk to Beat Breast Cancer enters its 4th year
By Carla Slavey
The Alton Blakley Family of Dealerships is doing what it can to raise awareness – and raise money – for a disease that affects more than 250,000 women in the U . S . each year .
This year marks the fourth that the dealership has put on the 5K to Beat Breast Cancer as a local fundraiser for the American Cancer Society .
The dealership , located on South U . S . 27 in Somerset , has a history of helping when it comes to raising awareness for breast cancer .
Alton Blakley , Jr .’ s sister , Cathy , is a breast cancer survivor and the family ’ s inspiration for starting the Breast Cancer Symposium , which began several years ago as an indoor event hosting informational booths and speakers .
Unfortunately , the pandemic in 2020 brought a halt to the symposium , but the dealership came up with an alternate plan to celebrate the survivors of breast cancer – an open-air race that could be held despite the restrictions place on indoor events due to COVID . The race proved to be so popular that it has continued on .
There have been many people who work at the dealership who have been touched by the disease , including Brad Gover , Alton Blakley marketing and human resource director and the person who organizes the 5K event .
Gover lost his mother , Sherry Gover , more than two decades ago when she was just 50 years old .
Sherry fought her battle for around a year and a half , he said . After she was initially diagnosed , Gover said his mother did well with treatment for several months before her health took a turn for the worse .
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October 2024 SEKY - Southeast Kentucky Life • 9