Special Patio Party Takes On Breast Cancer

By Shannon Hicks

Pink attire was encouraged for a Pink Party on The Patio last week at the Buchler residence in Newtown.

Pam Buchler and three of her friends will be participating in an Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. The Pink Party was a fundraiser for their efforts, which will culminate in a two-day walk in New York on October 6–7. The Avon Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity that awards funding in breast cancer education and awareness, screening and diagnosis, access to treatment, support services, and scientific research into the possible cause, prevention, treatment, and cure.

As part of their preparations for that walk, Mrs Buchler and her teammates — Mary Kate Boehm, Mel Klemish, and Barbara Steneck — hosted a party where friends and family members were encouraged to join them for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres and, if they felt moved to do so, to donate to the team

Held on August 17, the party raised $2,000 for the Buchler team.

“No one in my family has breast cancer,” Mrs Buchler said this week in explaining why she felt compelled to participate in the breast cancer walk. “But I saw a commercial on TV and was inspired by what it said.

“I went out with some friends one night and we started talking about breast cancer. One in every five women will get breast cancer, and there were 12 of us at our table — so chances are at least two of my friends will get this. That shook me.”

The New York walk will be the next in a series of walks sponsored by The Avon Foundation this year. Events have already been held this year in Boston (raising $6.3 million), Chicago ($8.2 million), Denver ($2 million), San Francisco ($5.4 million), and Washington, D.C. ($5.8 million), raising more than $27 million for the foundation’s efforts.

In addition to the New York walk in October, Avon Foundation walks will also take place in Charlotte and Los Angeles before the end of the year. Each walk is considered a marathon event, although participants travel as much as 39 miles during the two days of walking.

Most walkers aim for at least the distance of a marathon (26.2 miles) spread over the two days. Others choose to walk a full marathon on Saturday, and then add an extra half-marathon on Sunday.

“That commercial really struck something in me,” said Mrs Buchler. “I want to make a difference and this is how I can do that.”

Donations are still being accepted for Team Buchler, either up front or a promise to pay a certain amount for each mile the team walks. For additional information about Avon Walks for Breast Cancer, visit AvonFoundation.org. To donate to Team Buchler or for additional information on the local team, Mrs Buchler can be reached by calling 364-1451.