News

Collierville, TN - When Stacey Arnold moved to the area more than a decade ago from Texas, she soon got involved with a local Relay for Life chapter of the American Cancer Society organization.

 

“I, along with my neighborhood team, Team Dance with Life-Rosewood Plantation, have been involved with Relay for Life for 11 years now,” she acknowledged.

 

Then three years ago, Arnold received a job as the merchant relations coordinator at The Avenue Carriage Crossing.

 

Arnold’s new part-time position and her dedication to Relay for Life soon merged to form a community event to raise money for the American Cancer Society.

 

“Our property manager at the time, Eugene Schmitt, was very eager to get more involved in the community, especially cancer awareness,” Arnold recalled. “Elizabeth Allen became our marketing manager not long after I started, and had the same ideas. We all clicked immediately, and the Avenue of Hope 5K was born.”

 

The third annual Avenue of Hope 5K will be held August 6 at 8AM at the Avenue Carriage Crossing.

 

Pre-registration for the 5K is open until August 1 and the fee is $20. The day of the race the fee increases to $25.

 

Arnold added that she worked with many “awesome” people to get this 5K off the ground.

 

“There was a Relay for Life 5K in the past at Johnson Park, but had ceased in the last few years,” Arnold explained. “Sheila Moody and I had wanted to get it started back up, but couldn’t get all the wrinkles ironed out. So, when I came to work at The Avenue, I brought up the idea, knowing Eugene and Elizabeth would be interested and would help with the wrinkles.”

 

The wrinkles began to fall out as the first year’s AOH 5K race raised $1,100. And the operation appeared wrinkle-free with nearly 200 participants last year raising more than $7,000.

 

The AOH 5K benefits the American Cancer Society to help fund awareness and research, along with patient support.

 

Arnold said her involvement in the organization stems from watching someone close to her battle cancer, and knowing the odds of her or family battling it in the future.

 

“A neighbor had just been diagnosed with cancer, who would become my very best friend,” she recalled of her reasoning in getting involved in Relay for Life. “She was my first reason to relay. Since then, it has become a passion.

 

“Statistics show that one in three people will be diagnosed with cancer sometime in their life,” she concluded. “To me, that is myself, my husband or one of my two kids. That’s reason enough for me.”

 

For more information, visit aoh5k.com.