While Carmichael is home to many who are interested in maintaining their own health, this year will mark the second time students and faculty are invited to work out to keep others healthy.
University Recreation’s second annual Miles 4 Kay fundraiser will begin today at 11:30 a.m ., when Thomas Stafford and Lisa Zapata of the office of student conduct join Carmichael Gym’s director, Eric Hawkes , to log the first miles on the pink treadmills set aside for the fundraiser.
The Miles 4 Kay fundraiser began last year, when University Recreation decided to commemorate N.C . State’s former Women’s Basketball coach, Kay Yow , by raising money for breast cancer research. Cybex , an international workout equipment company, donated three pink treadmills to the Carmichael Gym, which are set aside specifically for this fundraiser. For every mile logged onto the pink treadmills over the next month, Cybex will donate 10 cents to the Yow Fund.
While Kay Yow was a well-loved coach, her commitment to University athletics is not just her legacy, but one continued by her sister, Debbie Yow , our current athletic director.
“Any initiative that generates awareness or funds for cancer research is an important one,” Yow said.
Fitness director at the Carmichael Gym, Alex Stubbs, is excited to be a part of the event for the first time.
“This year, we’re hoping to log 3,000 miles and beat last year’s 2,300,” Stubbs said.
While the main goal of the fundraiser is to log as many miles as possible, the event also seeks to shed light on breast cancer awareness and prevention, according to Stubbs.
“There will be a mobile mammography bus parked outside the gym Wednesday from 9 a.m . to 3 p.m . for women who meet the requirements,” Stubbs said.
In addition to events that will help in breast cancer education, the fundraiser is paired with some fun-spirited special events in honor of Yow throughout the month. There will be a “Hoops for Hope” women’s basketball game in her honor Feb. 12 where everything will be pink for breast cancer awareness.
Though Hawkes has only been the director at Carmichael for three months, he said he is excited to take part in the fundraiser and hopes it will be a success. As director, he will be one of the three University employees to track the first miles of the month.
“I’m going to try and go three miles on Wednesday, just as long as the line isn’t too long,” Hawkes said.
While three miles is his goal for Wednesday, he plans to “go hard” and log up to six per week.
Hoping to get students in a competitive spirit, Stubbs said prizes will be offered for those who log the most miles during the month.
“Hopefully that will encourage students to compete with each other and add more mileage to our total,” Stubbs said. “It would be cool to even form teams and make it a real competition.”
The treadmills will be open for use beginning at 11:30 a.m . this morning. Personal mileage progress can be charted using a form provided at the gym.
