With cars, cell phones, cubicles, etc. , it’s sometimes a challenge for people not to get self-absorbed and caught up in the routine of being independent. Long gone are the eras where families would gather in the parlor after dinner to listen to the radio. But humans are a social creature…fact is, we do need each other. And those feelings of camaraderie and support, that feeling of “I’ve got your back” was no more apparent than at the inaugural Denton Race for the Cure Sept. 24.

Kicking off the early morning at Fouts Field, fighting off the urge to shiver (it was below 75°), most of the corporate sponsors had set up their giveaway items and hung their banners. A massive Re/Max® hot air balloon slowly inflated and lifted skyward as flames shot the pressurized contents into the fabric intermittently. Race participants began to stream through the booths, collecting decals, travel bags, cups, and wristbands. The colors were vibrant…although pink dominated, so many more red, purples, and greens gave the crowd as a whole a very unique and diversified feel.   Ironic, because the crowd jelled as one mass and moved to the start line, urged by the most upbeat and energetic voice imaginable. Short, tall, old, and young people from every different walk of life gathered together to begin the 5K as a unified symbolic gesture saying “this is what I’m doing to fight breast cancer”. Some ran, most walked, some were pushed along in a stroller, a few were led by a leash. As the sun began to rise further into the sky, and the race route wound and twisted through the UNT campus and downtown Denton, more and more people appeared on the sidewalks, offering cups of water, shouting and whooping encouragement.   While the race certainly drew the highest participation, perhaps the most poignant part of the event was the survivor parade. Identified by the darker pink shirts emblazoned with “SURVIVOR” down one side, these remarkable women who bravely stared breast cancer in the eye and said “I will not be beaten” gathered together and marched to the stage. Everyone else lined their path on either side and clapped and cheered. Whether it was for a family member, a friend, a coworker, but in most cases, for total strangers, the feeling of connection and togetherness was never so apparent.   Concluding the event was an awards ceremony, where CoServ received recognition for being the third largest corporate team, with 91 registrants. A total of $1,888.37 was donated to the Race for the Cure North Texas (Denton) chapter. CoServ also donated (in the form of sponsorship) a total of $7,500: $5,000 for the Denton chapter and $2,500 for the Plano chapter.   CoServ offers a sincere thank you to those Employees who contributed to the Race for the Cure, whether by purchasing baked goods, a T shirt, volunteering at the booth, or running/ walking the 5K race.