Palmetto Health Foundation announces new home and added half marathon for Walk for Life and Race for Life

Palmetto Health Foundation’s 26^th Walk for Life and Race for Life will have a new home on Saturday, Oct. 22, 2016—Spirit Communications Park, home of the Columbia Fireflies. A half marathon has been added, giving runners a diverse selection of certified races.

At a March 22 press conference, officials from Palmetto Health Foundation, Spirit Communications, Columbia Fireflies, City of Columbia and Palmetto Health Breast Center spoke about the significance of the new partnership established with Palmetto Health Foundation, Spirit Communications Park and the Columbia Fireflies.

“Over the years, Walk for Life has evolved into more than just an event. It’s truly a movement to beat breast cancer in the Midlands,” said Samuel Tenenbaum, president, Palmetto Health Foundation. “We are humbled by our partners’ tremendous spirit of giving and look forward to seeing thousands of supporters in pink at Spirit Communications Park in October.”

On Oct. 22, participants will experience new, exciting routes—in and around Spirit Communications Park—for the 5K walk and 5K and 10K certified races. Half marathon runners will start at Spirit Communications Park and run along the beautiful Congaree River, historic Elmwood Park and vigorous areas of downtown Columbia before ending the race at home plate in Spirit Communications Park.

“As a proud sponsor and partner of this great cause, we have truly enjoyed seeing this event grow and make a difference in the lives of so many people” said Greg Guerra, EVP of Strategy and Business Development at Spirit Communications. “Bringing Palmetto Health Foundation’s Walk for Life and Race for Life to Spirit Communications Park and partnering with our friends, the Columbia Fireflies, will really take it to the next level.”

On July 28, the Columbia Fireflies will host a “Pink in the Park” fundraising event. Fireflies players will wear specially-designed, custom pink jerseys that will be up for bid during a silent auction throughout the game. Winning bidders will be presented with their jerseys on-field after the game, personally autographed by the player who wore the jersey. Proceeds will support Palmetto Health Breast Center through Walk for Life and Race for Life.

“It is truly an honor to host the Walk for Life and Race for Life at Spirit Communications Park,” said Fireflies team president, John Katz. “Bringing people together to raise awareness for early detection and treatment of breast cancer is the very fabric that brings us together as a community.”

“Pink in the Park” has always been one of the most powerful, emotional nights of the season,” added Katz. “Most of us have someone in their lives that has battled valiantly with breast cancer, and this night is a tribute to both the survivors and those that have fought their battles to the very end.

Dr. Jeanette Fulton, breast imaging radiologist with Pitts Radiology and Palmetto Health Breast Center, said, “All of the partnerships the Foundation has established for the 2016 Walk for Life and Race for Life will help us send a strong message to our community that early detection saves lives. At the Breast Center, we see first-hand the impact these partnerships have on patients and families. Having the latest technology at our fingertips means more lives will be saved right here in our community.”

More about Walk for Life and Race for Life at WalkForLifeColumbia.org. #WalkRaceforLife2016

 

photo:
(l-r) Greg Guerra, EVP of Strategy and Business Development, Spirit Communications; John Katz, team president, Columbia Fireflies; Dr. Jeanette Fulton, breast imaging radiologist, Pitts Radiology and Palmetto Health Breast Center; Samuel Tenenbaum, president, Palmetto Health Foundation, Beth Coble, former First Lady of Columbia, who co-founded Walk for Life 26 years ago, and Steve Benjamin, Mayor, City of Columbia.

 

About Palmetto Health Foundation

Palmetto Health Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization, engages community partners to enhance health care for patients and families served by Palmetto Health. For more, visit PalmettoHealthFoundation.org.

About Palmetto Health Breast Center

As the largest provider of screening and diagnostic breast imaging services in our community, Palmetto Health Breast Center is critical to the health of women and men in our community. An average of 40,000 mammograms are performed each year at the Breast Center. It was the first program in South Carolina to be fully accredited by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers, administered by the American College of Surgeons, which ensures that patients will have access to comprehensive care, an interdisciplinary team approach to coordinate the best treatment options, breast cancer conferences, nurse navigators, information about ongoing clinical trials and quality breast care close to home. The Breast Center also provided the first mobile mammography unit in South Carolina more than a decade ago.
About the Columbia Fireflies: The Columbia Fireflies are the South Atlantic League affiliate of the New York Mets. The Fireflies will play games across the Southeast and mid-Atlantic regions, including against in-state rivals in Charleston and Greenville. The team has partnered with the City of Columbia and Hughes Development to construct Spirit Communications Park, a multi-use outdoor sports and entertainment venue at the center of the Bull Street development. The Columbia Fireflies are owned by Hardball Capital, owners of the Fort Wayne TinCaps of the Midwest League, and the Chattanooga Lookouts of the Southern League. For more information visit www.ColumbiaFireflies.com, or follow the Fireflies on Twitter (@ColaFireflies), Facebook (facebook.com/columbiafireflies) and all popular social media sites.

About Spirit Communications Park

The centerpiece of Bull Street is Spirit Communications Park, a state-of-the-art ballpark and multi-use entertainment venue. Spirit Communications Park is home to the Columbia Fireflies, as professional baseball returns to the Midlands for the first time in over a decade. With charm and a hometown feel, Spirit Communications Park will be a true community asset 365 days a year, with indoor and outdoor space for events of all sizes. It will be far more than just an amazing baseball experience. For more information, please visit www.SpiritCommunicationsPark.com.