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thedrifter
08-19-09, 03:32 PM
August 19, 2009

Marine walks for breast cancer
Fundraiser set Friday, Aug. 28

By Kathy Ursprung
of The Chronicle

When Kayla Nelson’s aunt, Carrie Nelson, was diagnosed with breast cancer in February 2008, Kayla started wondering what she could do.
The fact that she was in the Marines in Okinawa, Japan, made the question a bit more challenging for the 21-year-old The Dalles Wahtonka High grad.
But Kayla would soon be parting ways with the Marines, and had some time on her hands during the separation process.
“I read about the Avon Walk in a magazine toward the end of the year,” she said. “And I wanted something to do to keep me focused and busy.”
So Kayla has been training and raising money to participate in the weekend-long Avon Walk for Breast Cancer, which takes place Oct. 24 and 25 in Charlotte, N.C.
Saying she was going to compete was the easy part. Before Kayla could actually qualify for the walk, she had to raise a minimum of $1,800.
“I decided to give it all my support — really go for it,” she said.
While Kayla has already reached her minimum, as well as her own initial $2,000 goal, she isn’t stopping there. She has increased her personal goal to $3,000 and is moving forward with a fundraiser on Friday, Aug. 28, at The New York City Sub Shop in The Dalles. The event starts at 7:30 p.m. and will feature food, music and dancing, among other entertainment. A $10 donation is requested to attend.
Andrew Deenik, New York City Sub Shop vice president, and DJ Zinker (Marco Jimenez) have collaborated in the fundraising event.
Along with her fundraising, Kayla has also been training for the marathon-and-a-half walking event (that’s 39.3 miles). While Kayla is physically fit as a result of hard training with her Marine unit, the emphasis in those workouts was on running, not walking. So she’s following the Avon Walk training program.
Kayla entered active duty with the Marines, in October 2005, just after high school graduation. She trained for six months in San Diego, and has been serving in Okinawa, Japan, for the last two years. She served as a disburser, handling pay and paperwork for the Marines.
When she officially separates from the Marines she plans to move to Charlotte and go to school under the GI Bill.
“The new GI Bill is an outstanding program,” Kayla said enthusiastically.
She plans to study marketing and will be close by her brother, Andy Nelson, who is a mechanic for a race team.
“I’d like to get involved in that scene,” she said. “I used to drag race before I was in the service.”
In the meantime, Kayla is looking forward to the walk weekend in October.
“A whole bunch of women camp out,” she said. “It’s all about coming together. I’ve never done anything like it before.”

Ellie