Walk Only Part of the Challenge

For the third straight year, Gales Ferry resident Linda Litsch was among walkers who participated in the Terri Brodeur Walk Across Southeastern Connecticut on Oct. 1. The annual 26.2-mile walk raises money for breast cancer research.  

Litsch, who first walked in 2008, said she was inspired by friends who had been diagnosed with breast cancer, including the mother of her daughter’s best friend.

She was very pleased to report this week that all of those friends are cancer survivors today.

“I have two daughters of my own, so I think it would be great if we could find a cure,” said Litsch, who was still sporting a pink streak in her hair this week at Holdridge Home and Garden Showplace, where she works.

Litsch noted that Connecticut has the second highest breast cancer rate in the country. She said she likes the Terri Brodeur walk because it is local and because 100 percent of the money raised goes to cancer research.

The walk begins at Dock & Dine in Old Saybrook and continues to Harkness Park in Waterford. This year Litsch said it rained for the first 15 minutes of the walk, and was overcast and dry the rest of the way.

She is getting better at the walking part. That first year left her with huge blisters on her feet, she said, but this year she was able to trim a half-hour off her original time. 

“It’s hard enough to walk 26 miles, but for me the hardest part is the fund-raising,” she said. Especially in these tight economic times, fund-raising has never been more difficult, and she is still working to reach her goal of $500.

On Tuesday morning she said she was planning to visit Mayor Allyn – not for a donation, although that would be nice, she said.

“You know how the firemen stand out in front of Town Hall and collect money in a boot?” she said. “I want to ask Mayor Allyn if I can stand out there with a big pink bra and collect money for breast cancer.”

Stay tuned.