Racing for the Boldest Community, Best Science, and Biggest Impact

DENTON, Texas, Sept. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Race for the Cure "Start Line" now extends to Denton!  Thousands of people and of all ages and abilities will gather at Host Sponsor University of North Texas' Traditions Fields for the first-ever Susan G. Komen North Texas Denton Race for the Cure®. The Denton Race features a 1 Mile Family Fun Run/Walk, Competitive 5K, Casual 5K Run/Walk, Kids for the Cure activity area and 50 yard dash, the Elizabeth's Garden tribute area, grantee health fair, and sponsor expo.  Everyone is invited to come out on Saturday, September 24, 2011 and help raise awareness and funds in the fight against breast cancer.  Online registration for walkers and runners is open until 5:00 p.m. on September 23rd at komennorthtexas.org.  Walk up registration on event day is open from 5:30 to 7:45 a.m.  

Pro Football Hall of Famer and six-time Super Bowl Champion, Mr. Mean Joe Greene and wife Agnes, will be at the event serving as the inaugural Honorary Denton Race Chairs. "Being part of the Race for the Cure is really important to Agnes, so it's important to me.  We're always happy to support this great cause and organization," said Greene.  His wife, Agnes, is a two-time breast cancer survivor.  

Local Presenting Sponsor, Sally Beauty Holdings, leads the way for employee involvement; they will have both a Race team and a large volunteer group. "I speak for everyone at Sally Beauty Holdings, when I say that we are extremely proud to be the Local Presenting Sponsor of the very first Denton Race for the Cure.  It is so important for businesses everywhere to connect with their communities and to actively contribute to the causes that matter most," said Gary Winterhalter, Sally Beauty Holdings CEO.  There is still time for businesses and groups to sign up for teams or to volunteer at komennorthtexas.org.  

Making a bold statement in pink, approximately 300 survivors will form a procession to the Survivor Celebration and Awards Ceremony on the main stage at 10:00 a.m.  The ceremony will also recognize sponsors and include prizes for fastest runners, largest teams, best team T-shirt design, and most creative "Tinkled Pink" Porta-Potty decoration.

The Race is the largest single source of funding for Komen North Texas grant investment.  This year, Komen North Texas granted a collective $800,000 for education, mammograms, sonograms, treatments, and other critical life-saving programs in North Texas. A complete listing of grantees and program descriptions are on komennorthtexas.org.

About Susan G. Komen for the Cure® and the Komen North Texas Affiliate

Nancy G. Brinker promised her dying sister, Susan G. Komen, she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer forever. In 1982, that promise became Susan G. Komen for the Cure and launched the global breast cancer movement.  The North Texas Affiliate of Komen for the Cure is working to better the lives of those facing breast cancer in the local community. Through events like the Komen North Texas Race for the Cure in Plano and Denton, the Komen North Texas Affiliate has invested $9 million in local breast health and breast cancer awareness projects in Collin, Cooke, Denton, Fannin, Grayson, Hunt, Montague and Wise counties. Of the funds Komen North Texas raises, 75 percent is invested in North Texas. The remaining 25 percent goes to the national Susan G. Komen for the Cure Grants Program to fund scientific research. For more information, call 972.378.4808, visit komennorthtexas.org or follow us on Facebook, Twitter or YouTube.

SOURCE Komen North Texas Affiliate