You could see plenty of people in pink at the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk of Northern Vermont. They were stepping out at Veterans Memorial Park in South Burlington.

However, a group from the Winooski School District was wearing green.

“It has affected our school recently,” wellness coordinator Jaycie Puttlitz said. “We’re doing this for a colleague, but we’re also doing this for the people in our lives that are affected by it. My family has had a run-in, and she beat it.”

South Burlington High School’s varsity cheerleading coach brought her team with her.

“They cheer the walkers as they go out, and then they cheer them on as they come in,” Lynn Kynoch said.

Kynoch has even joined the committee organizing the walk “for those who have lost people — family members, friends — to breast cancer, or if they’re survivors; we have a ton of survivors here, too,” she said. “Anybody in general that you know that could be affected by breast cancer.”

This particular Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk has been spreading a message of hope, and helping out the American Cancer Society, for more than a decade now.

Since 2008, the northern Vermont walk has become an autumn tradition. The 12th annual event has raised a total of $250,000…with more than $110,000 of that coming in the form of corporate donations alone.

“As communities come together — as our school community comes together — it’s important for everyone to be aware of everything that people are going through, whether it’s breast cancer or other things,” Puttlitz said.

Our station is proud to sponsor the walk. Lauren Maloney served as an emcee of the event along with Mary Cenci from Star 92.9.

The American Cancer Society also says one in every eight women, and one in about every 850 men in the U.S., will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime.