Warwick grad student to raise money for breast cancer walk

MONROE — If you’re looking for a Valentine’s Day gift for a friend or special person in your life that also helps support a worthy cause, Warwick resident Kaitlyn Hubert and Amy Mundy of Monroe have an idea for you. The two SUNY New Paltz graduate students are participating in the two day Avon Walk for Breast Cancer Oct. 4 and 5 in New York and have teamed up with the Nail Station in Monroe as part of their efforts to raise a minimum of $1,800 each to participate in the event. During those two days, Hubert, Mundy and thousands of other participants will walk almost 40 miles to raise funds for breast cancer research and for medically under-insured women and men to receive breast cancer screenings, support and treatment. They’ll walk 26.2 miles the first day, actually camp overnight in a “tent city” and continue with last 13.1 miles on the second day, ending up in Manhattan. While Hubert, Mundy and Nail Station owner Annie Fisher or their families have not been personally affected by breast cancer, they want to support research and program funding efforts. “Last year, I watched women in the 60s and women undergoing chemotherapy walk in this event,” said Hubert. “I thought if they can do this, I could do this too. I’m walking to bring awareness to the issue of breast cancer. One in four women will be diagnosed with it. It’s a good chance that it will affect someone I know in my lifetime.” Hubert and Mundy need to develop fund-raising strategies to come up with the minimum required to walk, and Mundy — -who routinely has manicures at the Nail Station — contacted Fisher to see if she would be able to help. As a result, the women are selling Nail Station gift certificates and Fisher will give $5 for each one sold by Hubert and Mundy to the women to help reach their individual fund-raising requirements. Manicure gift certificates are $10; pedicures are $23; and a combination package is $30. “I have customers who have breast cancer,” said Fisher as her reason for helping the women with their fund-raising efforts, during a busy Saturday afternoon where her salon was packed with customers. “I’m happy to help somebody.” Hubert and Mundy are hoping to sell as many as possible and for the short-term, thought the gift certificates could be a nice, reasonably priced Valentine’s Day gift idea for friends to give to friends, or men to give to the special women in their lives. To prepare for the walk, Hubert and Mundy are currently attending clinics and workshops that offer fund raising and training tips. While both have never walked this far, they’ve already started short practices walks that will increase in length, according to training guidelines, so they’re fully ready in October. In 2007, more than $10.9 million in grants was awarded at the New York Avon Walk for Breast Cancer (walks are held nationwide in major cities throughout the year, including $6.86 million to the New York-based Avon Foundation Breast Cancer Fund that, in turn, disbursed 130 grants to non-profit, community based organizations nationwide. In addition, approximately $4.01 million was awarded to nine metropolitan New York and New Jersey organizations for programs and services. “It’s a great cause,” said Mundy. “This is something that affects many women. To help raise money for research and programs is a good thing. We’re hoping to sell as many gift certificates as possible.” To purchase a gift certificate, contact Mundy at 537-6299 or e-mail bbycakes18@yahoo.com; or Hubert at 988-6269 or e-mail hubert71@newpaltz.edu.