Airmen gather for a cause

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Denise Nevins
  • 28th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
ELLWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. --  The Ellsworth Health Promotion office hosted a Walk For Your Cause awareness event in the 28th Medical Group parking lot Oct. 14.

"For more than three years, the Health Promotion office usually concentrated on Breast Cancer Awareness," said Gerilyn Seal, 28th Medical Operations Squadron health promotion program manager. "But this year, I felt the need to collaborate with other agencies that have colored ribbons to help their causes."

Around 50 people, military and civilian, participated in the event, including base leadership.

"This was a great opportunity to make a statement of support for so many campaigns under one event," said Chief Master Sgt. Sonia Lee, 28th Bomb Wing command chief. "Whatever I can do to promote awareness, I'm there."

For some, these walks mean more than supporting a cause.

"My grandma was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2014," said Senior Airman Hailey Staker, 28th Bomb Wing Public Affairs photojournalist. "Being able to participate in these events allows me to not only raise awareness for cancer, but support my grandma in a different way since I couldn't be there physically during her fight."

The event also featured different sponsors from base, including the Family Advocacy program and the Sexual Assault Response Coordinator. Each sponsor provided brochures and other informational pieces about their cause.

There are more than 60 different awareness ribbon colors, each representing one or more specific causes, including cancer, distracted driving, and tragedies such as Sept. 11, 2001.

"The goal is to get everybody together as a community to support all of these important causes," Seal said.