4 | Tuesday September 25, 2012 | The University Star
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Firefighters raise breast cancer awareness, funds with Pink Heals
Fire fighters and community members clad in pink tshirts gathered Saturday to raise awareness for breast cancer with their annual 5,000-meter race. Participants run a 5k race in exchange for support and donations toward cancer patients’ costs at the San Marcos Professional Firefighters Association’s Pink Heals event. Among Saturday’s participants was cancer survivor Lisa Tobias, who walked in honor of her battle and in memory of the estimated 39,510 women who die each year in the United States from a form of the disease. Tobias, Texas State School of Social Work administrative assistant, was diagnosed in 2007 with breast cancer. She said by participating in the race she has been able to speak with other participants about the importance of yearly mammograms. “I get to talk to a lot of women here about having mammograms done,” she said. “A lot of women don’t get it done. I just try to spread the word and make sure they go get them
done.” Tobias’ decision to be an advocate is reflected in the San Marcos Professional Firefighters Association’s choice to fight back against the devastating disease. “The movement was brought to San Marcos in 2009,” said Kathleen Chomel, chairperson for the San Marcos Pink Heals event,. “We’ve had it every year since and donate all of our proceeds to the emergency cancer fund through the Central Texas Medical Center’s Foundation.” Dave Graybill, former major league and Olympic baseball player, founded the organization in Arizona. Graybill ended his professional baseball career in 1990 after playing for the Montreal Expos and Los Angeles Angels to instead work as a firefighter in Glendale, California. He then went on to start the Pink Heals organization in 2007 and has since toured across the country, encouraging others to participate in his cause. “The fact that firefighters in Arizona created this movement is what encouraged and inspired the Professional Fire Fighter’s association in San Marcos to take part,” Chomel said. “They also saw it as a great way to help those in need.”
Bryant Conaway, University Star
The Pink Heals 5K run, sponsored by the San Marcos Professional Firefighters Associaton, has raised money for breast cancer awareness since it first began in 2009.
Campus magazine gets improved PR By Sarah Stephens Trends Reporter Persona Literary Magazine has become relatively unknown around Texas State over its 48 years of existence, but its newest staff members are determined to revitalize and increase its visibility on campus. The staff members’ first step toward accomplishing that task was holding a launch party Sunday at Tantra Coffee House. There they handed the first issues of their magazine out to those in attendance. “We decided to hold our first big event at Tantra because we knew it would be able to gain more exposure there,” said Christina Marroquin, the co-art and design editor for Persona. “One of our biggest goals is to have the magazine reach as many people as it possibly can, and for it to inspire others to create literary works of their own.” The literary magazine is accepting all forms of artwork, whether they are short stories, drawings or screenplays. Students send in their creations, and staff members review submissions to determine what they will feature in the magazine. “We don’t really have rigorous requirements for those who plan to submit their work to us,”Marroquin said. “Each student can submit up to five pieces of artwork, and we mainly just check the length of the pieces, make sure the content is appropriate and figure out what would work best for each issue.”
Some who attended the launch party showed off their artistic talents when they were given the opportunity to present personal works of poetry on stage. “I’m really glad that we encouraged others to showcase their creative abilities,” Alix Scarborough, managing editor for Persona, said. “We really want this magazine to help influence others to be proud of their artwork and for them to see how talented they really are.” While growing up, Scarborough was surrounded by a family that taught her to take advantage of an artistic predisposition. This teaching eventually inspired her to start writing her own poetry, which she still continues to do. “I view poetry as something more than just a way to describe our feelings and emotions,” Scarborough said. “I really think that our work has the power to bring light on issues we all face. In the end, our writings can be something that can unite and bring us all together on common ground.” Those who came to the event said they left with a better understanding for poetry and the magazine that so few had known about for the past four decades. “All of the poems that were read tonight were brilliant in their own unique way,” said Alexandra Walker, mass communication freshman. “After looking through the magazine and meeting different members from the staff, I can tell that Persona will accomplish great things in the future. I’ll be looking out for their next issue.”
UNIVERSITYSTAR.COM
By Sarah Stephens and Jordan Gass-Poore’ Trends Reporters
All of the proceeds go to women and families in Hays County to help assist with different medical costs and treatments. “One of the main goals this organization has is to change as many lives we can with all of the money we’ve raised,” Graybill said. “Women are the most selfless individuals in the world, and I want Pink Heals to help eliminate all of the problems they don’t deserve to face.” Graybill prides himself on the fact all of Pink Heals’ proceeds go directly to the families in need. “I’m so tired of hearing about different organizations that make so much money from donors but only spend a small portion on those who are sick and need the resources,” Graybill said. “Pink Heals is based solely off of love and we make sure to give all we have to those we can help.”