Over 5,000 participate in the Prouty
Over 5,500 participants rowed, biked, ran, walked and golfed Saturday morning in the 32ndannual Prouty, a fundraiser for the Norris Cotton Cancer Center at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. This year’s event raised over $2.6 million.
Tyler Stotland, a volunteer from Norwich, said that the variety of opportunities available helps create a supportive community around the event.
“Lots of people, whether they’re helping a friend, going through treatment or just finished a treatment, can all participate,” she said.
Individual participants, families and teams raised money for the cause. Teams ranged from College Greek organizations to groups of Upper Valley residents. Some teams honored cancer patients and survivors through their team names and by wearing shirts commemorating friends lost to the disease.
“I had no idea it was such a big community,” Courtney Kelly ’15 said. “It’s really special that so many people come out to support such a great cause.”
Event director Jean Brown said that participation from the College distinguishes the Prouty from other area events.
‘This is truly where the whole community comes together to fight cancer,” she said.
Approximately 1,200 volunteerswere posted at Richmond Middle School and along the different routes.
Raphael Harriman of Lebanon, who was stationed behind Occom Pond on the 3KAudrey’s Walk and the 10K residential walk routes, said he decided to volunteer to get involved in the event and raise money for cancer research.
“People are more likely to give if you’re helping out,” he said.
Stotland, whose mother’s friend is undergoing cancer treatment and whose father is a surgeon at Dartmouth-Hitchcock, said she volunteered because of these connections to the Norris Cotton Cancer Center.
“I’ve heard lots of stories and wanted to help out,” she said.
Personal connections often lead to participation in the Prouty, Brown said.
“Everyone has been touched by cancer and it’s the most frustrating experience because there’s nothing you can do about it,” she said. “All you can do is raise money and try to help.”
Individual adult participants had to raise $150 to take part in the Prouty, while each family was required to raise $275.
Some College Greek organizations raised the necessary funds through creative campus events. Kappa Delta Epsilon and Kappa Kappa Gamma sororities held a carwash, while Alpha Delta fraternity hosted a lemonade stand. Alpha Phi sorority sold grilled cheese sandwiches.
All donations are used to help cancer patients in the Upper Valley, Brown said.
“The money stays local,” she said. “It helps right here and right now with treatments, therapies and other patient services.”
A small percentage of the money is also set aside for research, Brown said.
“If you didn’t have research, we would still be using the treatments of 20 years ago,” she said.