The Woodlands Lifestyles & Homes magazine Jan 2010: 2009 Light the Night Walk

The 5th Annual Leukemia/Lymphoma Society Light the Night Walk lit up Market Street in The Woodlands Town Center as more than 2,300 walkers carrying red, white and gold balloons gathered to walk for a cure. Proceeds from the walk help fund research for blood cancers.

More than $340,000 was raised with more donations expected to come in. The event has grown tenfold in the first five years. Light The Night Walk The Woodlands is one of the fastest growing charitable events in The Woodlands and one of the largest single fundraiser events in Montgomery County. In 2005, the inaugural event attracted 400 walkers and raised $31, 558.

The volunteer committee for The Woodlands Walk is made up of individuals whose lives have been touched by some form of blood cancer. Some are survivors, and others have lost family members or friends to the disease. Barry Blanton, walk committee chairman and a survivor, relates, “I enjoy seeing money raised to fund research for a cure. I do not want my kids or grandkids to be told that they have a blood cancer that is treatable but not curable. Nobody should have to hear those words. ” Every five minutes, someone in the United States learns that they have leukemia, lymphoma or myeloma.

Light the Night Walk has a very personal meaning for Misty Moody, Leukemia/Lymphoma Society staff member who worked directly with The Woodlands walk committee. “The Light the Night event means giving back and supporting a cause that saved my life at the age of 8 years old. It ’s a

cause that is near and dear to my heart. I want to help save other lives.”

Light the Night Walk is a national fundraising campaign that commemorates and celebrates all lives touched by cancer. Company teams, civic groups, neighbors and friends raise funds by strolling on an evening walk along a two- to three-mile route carrying twinkling balloons—white for survivors, red for supporters and gold in memory of loved ones lost to cancer. More than a walk, Light the Night is a community celebration with food, live entertainment and family activities —a community coming together to support people with cancer.

Local sponsors who helped the Light the Night Committee make the walk
ossible include: Smith Productions, Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Hospital, Hal Watson Air Conditioning, Town Center Automotive, Sadler Clinic, Cardon Healthcare Network Inc., Deloitte, US Oncology, HealthMark Group, Jim and Nelda Blair, Bank of America/Merrill Lynch, The Woodlands Golf Association, Tetra Technologies, Green Bank, Stibbs & Co., U.S. Congressman Kevin Brady, Wells Fargo, Susan Turney Law Office, Woodforest National Bank, and Entergy. A special thanks to the venue sponsor, Trademark Property and Market Street The Woodlands. For information on sponsor opportunities for 2010, call 713-680-8088.

Donations for this year’s walk are still being accepted. To help save a life or learn more, call 877-LTN-WALK or go to www.lightthenight.org/txg.