Several local runners participated in the 2012 Chattanooga Purple Stride to raise awareness and funds for Pancreatic Cancer research and is hosted by the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network.

Calhoun’s, Expressions Dance Studio owner Hollie Stewart, along with her brother Chris Stewart brought a large group to the event, as they have lost both their grandmother and father to Pancreatic Cancer.

Expressions Dance teams performed and cheered on runners and walkers for over an hour until the last walker passed the finish line.

“I have never been more proud of my girls as I was at the run,” said Stewart. “They cheered, danced, and clapped hands with everyone. We saw families locked arm-in-arm cross the line, several survivors triumphantly finish the race and a lady in a wheelchair who completed the 5k on her own with no help whatsoever. It was a very emotional day topped off with Chris (my brother) winning his age division.”

Other local participants in the run included Julie Harris, Miranda Adcock, Suzanne Smith, Suzanne Hammondtree, Chris Hammondtree, Rhonda Pritchett, Marybelle, Tony Swink and Chris Stewart. Swink and Stewart won their respective age divisions.