Annual Awareness Walk Supports Local Cancer Patients

DOWNIEVILLE — On Saturday, Downieville High School students involved with the California Scholarship Federation (CSF) hosted an annual walk promoting cancer awareness and supporting a fund available to local cancer patients. Participants, after making a $10 registration donation, hiked along several routes from the Downieville School gymnasium to as far as the First Divide Trail crossing of Lavezzola Road and back. The event concluded with food and a raffle inside the gym.

The CSF is an academic honors organization in which academically qualified students from the Downieville School in grades 7 through 12 participate. The cancer walk is a service project for the club, which began in 2008 as a senior project by Stacey Hallman. The event provides an opportunity for students to contribute to their community while raising awareness about cancer. All money raised is donated to Sierra Frontier Medical Resources (SFMR), a local non-profit serving western Sierra County.

Funds from SFMR can be used to reimburse cancer-related expenses not covered by insurance, such as transportation to appointments, special dietary needs, and comfort items. Reimbursements can total up to $500, though funding can be accessed multiple times if necessary. SFMR has been able to build up its pool of funding, with little to no reimbursement requests made in the last decade.

The event was also supported by many local businesses, including JADAA’s, Cold Rush, Two Rivers Cafe, Sierra Pines, Sierra Hardware, and several others, which made generous raffle prize donations. Because around 10 walkers participated, every registrant was able to take home a raffle prize.

To access SFMR’s fund for cancer patients, contact Lynn Fillo at slfillo77@gmail.com, or SFMR directly at sfmrinc@gmail.com. The process is confidential, and funds can even be requested on behalf of another person.