The weather made news on Tuesday when a day of record rainfall included a weak tornado touching down in Des Moines briefly. Windows were blown out of cars in the airport’s parking lot but that news item didn’t even last through a 24-hours news cycle. Later in the week temperatures in the upper 80′s and high humidity made activity less than delightful but not oppressive. Some runners finishing the 5K race at today’s Race for the Cure seemed to be unaffected by the weather. Other people finishing the race were noticeably sweating and dragging themselves.
A celebration of life seemed to be the mood at the Race for the Cure. I have been trying to figure out what the Energizer Bunny represented since I saw it at the event. I suppose it symbolizes that people who have encountered the power drain of breast cancer will not be stopped.
There was informative literature to be found at the event. A young woman was giving away keychains promoting I Am the Cure that had circular tags of varying sizes. The accompanying card explained that the circles represent the size of lump detectable by various screening processes. Zeta Tau Alpha, a social and philanthropic fraternity for women, had made available pink ribbon calendar stickers to remind women to perform monthly self-exams. The handout also included instructions on how to do the self-exam.
Sponsors provided plenty of food. It was amusing to see people bypass Iowa Bakery’s bagels and grab the miniature candy bars it also was offering.
Quilt Pink, a publication from Meredith Publications, was holding a silent auction on three quilts with the proceeds going to the local Susan G. Komen group. Other quilts can be bid upon at eBay. A 2008 granny calendar was available for purchase from Calendar Gals Cancer Fund, Inc. The calendar was put together by a group of eleven grandmothers who play cards together in West Des Moines. Two of them have survived breast cancer as has the son of one of the women. There is not a web site for the calendars, but inquiries and purchase requests can be sent by e-mail to cgals@hickorytech.net or by land mail to PO Box 71629, Des Moines, IA 50325.
At the Hy-Vee store on University near 42nd Street, I met Tiffany, a 6-year-old Holstein, and Bob, a 16-day-old calf. They were from Prairieland in Firth, Nebraska. One of the dairy’s clients is Original Foods of Lincoln, Nebraska, a company that sells milk made from cows with a naturally-occurring a2 beta-casein protein. The milk is carried by Hy-Vee and is available in 2%, fat free, and 1% chocolate varieties. Tim Thietje, a partner in Original Foods, explained that New Zealand produces 8% of the world’s milk. It was New Zealand scientists who discovered the gene variant and that the a2 version produces a milk more easily digestible than milk with the a1 variety. The milk is processed in Clarinda, Iowa, by Naturally Iowa.
Guest Writer: M.R. Field is editor of Leading Voices: Iowa .
You must log in to post a comment.