I have three forms of footwear — sneakers, flip flops and bed slippers. Soon, I will add high heels to that repertoire.
The heels will not a permanent addition, just temporary.
I was asked a few months ago by Paint Pittston Pink organizer Barbara Sciandra to participate in this year’s Gentlemen’s Dash, in which I and 10 other good men will run a short race while wearing high heeled shoes.
The race will take place at noon Oct. 8 on Main Street in Pittston. The other participants are asked to raise as much money as they can, and the one who raises the most gets the option to run in flat shoes.
Donations can be made up until Oct. 7.
This is the third year for Paint Pittston Pink, a week-long event dedicated to breast cancer awareness. All proceeds from the event go towards research of the disease.
Events begin Saturday, Oct. 1 and conclude Oct. 8.
In its inaugural year in 2014, the event, only four days at that time, raised $30,000. It became a seven-day event in 2015 and raised $50,000 (the Gentlemen’s Dash in its inaugural year last year raised $20,000 of that).
I was already contemplating asking Barb if I could be a participant in this year’s race when I opened an email from her one evening from her on the subject.
Turns out she already had me in mind and asked me to participate. With little hesitation, I replied, expressing how excited and happy I was that she asked me.
Fellow Sunday Dispatch/Times Leader reporter Nick Wagner participated in the event last year, and I was jealous.
Nick did a great job raising money — $1,280 to be exact — and did it all with a smile.
I was unable to attend the race last year, but judging by the photos I saw, Nick looked like he had a blast.
Since signing up, Nick has been my coach and offered advice on how to spread the word of my involvement in the event.
He’s also shared the best way to run in heels — a secret I’ll keep to myself.
As part of the event, we are also asked to run in honor of someone who is battling, or once battled, a disease of their own.
I have chosen to run in honor of my good friend and fellow Times Leader reporter Melanie Mizenko.
Melanie has been very open over the last several months about her battle with stage IV endometrial cancer.
I reached out to her, asking if I could run in her honor. She responded by saying the honor is all hers.
Melanie is one of the Times Leader’s hardest workers, often going above and beyond her journalistic duties to provide you, the readers, with the best story possible.
Now, everything is in place.
I have a site where donations can be made; I have my high heeled shoes ready to go and I have Nick coaching me the entire way.
The only thing left to do is wait for Oct. 8 to learn whether I run in heels or flats. Truth is, I’m just happy to run for a good cause.
