ON THE GO — More than 250 runners and walkers of all ages made their way along Clark Street to other city streets and back while participating in the Lou Ann Burchfield and Kathy Hannan Hale Colors of Cancer Memorial 5K Run-Walk Saturday morning. The event raised money to provide assistance to local families of cancer patients. -- Warren Scott

TORONTO — More than 250 runners and walkers of various ages made their way along about 3.1 miles of city streets Saturday morning, helping to raise thousands for a local charity that helps the families of cancer patients to deal with various expenses.

It was the third year for the Lou Ann Burchfield and Kathy Hannan Hale Colors of Cancer Memorial 5K Run-Walk, which is held in memory of two Toronto women whose lives were cut short by the disease.

A 1980 graduate of Toronto High School, Lou Ann McCart Burchfield operated a daycare business in her home for 15 years and was a member of the Nazarene Church prior to her death, at the age of 46, in 2008.

Kathy Hannan Hale met many people as a clerk at Toronto’s Ben Franklin Store and Stacey’s IGA. She died of cancer, at the age of 70, in 2023.

In addition to launching the race, their daughters have formed a local charity, Sunshine Charity Inc., to provide financial assistance to the families of cancer patients.

ON THE GO — More than 250 runners and walkers of all ages made their way along Clark Street to other city streets and back while participating in the Lou Ann Burchfield and Kathy Hannan Hale Colors of Cancer Memorial 5K Run-Walk Saturday morning. The event raised money to provide assistance to local families of cancer patients. -- Warren Scott

The Burchfields — Natalie, Arica, Felicia and Susie — and the Hales — Alicia Myslinsky and Krista Beswick — were on hand Saturday morning to sign in the many participants.

Myslinsky said more than $10,000 raised by last year’s event helped families of cancer patients with expenses ranging from utilities to hotel stays during visits with medical specialists some distance from home.

She said those in need will find an application on the Facebook pages for the race and the charity itself.

Myslinsky added she was pleased with this year’s turnout and the support of the community.

“It’s just getting bigger and bigger,” she said.

During the race, drawings were held for multiple gift baskets donated by local businesses and residents while a group of children, including grandchildren of Hale, sold keychains and beaded necklaces they made to support the cause.

Many children took part in a 1K run that followed the race, making their way along Clark Street from Tri B’s Coffee Shop, one of the event’s business sponsors, to its intersection with North Third Street.

As they proceeded along the courses of either race, participants passed through stations where various colors of chalk were thrown on them.

It was in keeping with the race’s colorful theme, with participants also invited to wear a color associated with a specific form of the disease or multiple colors to represent all of them.

Wearing pink T-shirts were Emery Swartz and his fiance, Teresa Gamble, both of Toronto, who explained Teresa is undergoing treatment for breast cancer.

Participating as walkers, they said their intention was not to finish early but to support a cause helping other cancer patients.

Also on hand were Matt Hennings and Tiffany Franckhauser, friends from Steubenville who have walked together in races held from Cleveland to Pittsburgh and Toronto to Parkersburg.

“We go all over to race,” said Franckhauser.

“We both have lost people to cancer,” said Hennings.

He said they know the financial toll a battle with cancer can have on a family and were happy to support the cause.

Nancy Bodrot, a senior citizen from Toronto said, “This will be my third year. I hope I beat last year’s time.”

Bodrot said she always sets out to improve on her past performance and isn’t concerned about beating anyone else’s time.

“That won’t happen,” she said with a laugh.

Bodrot said the cause also is personal for her, having lost three brothers and a sister to cancer while another brother is battling the disease.

Linda McCart said cancer had been no stranger to her family when her sister, Lou Ann Burchfield, died.

She said their mother died when she was just 9 years old, and their father also succumbed to the disease.

McCart, who has gone on to work in cancer research, said she’s happy her nieces and the Hale daughters have found a way to help others with cancer.

“I’m so proud of them for putting this together,” she said.