Gym members step up against cancer, AIDS

By Ashley Livingston

Friday, Oct. 10, 2008 | midnight

The Silverado Curves fitness center is doing more than helping women drop the pounds.

The center is helping its members help the community as they participate this month in fundraising for the American Cancer Society and in an underwear collection drive for St. Therese Center.

Ladies from Curves recently led the warm up for the almost 7,000 other participants in the American Cancer Society's Strides Against Breast Cancer walk that was held Oct. 4 at the JW Marriott in Summerlin.

The 34 ladies from the Silverado Curves who registered for the walk contributed $3,000 to the total of more than $375,000 raised that day.

While the walk is over, the ladies will continue to raise money for the Cancer Society until the end of October.

All month pink T-shirts, pink water bottles and other cancer society fundraising items will sit next to clotheslines full of donated underwear, said center owner Linda Herring.

The underwear will be given to the Henderson-based St. Therese Center, a group that provides spiritual and emotional support and social services to people affected by HIV/AIDS.

Herring said that in honor of the drive, she purchased a large undergarment that will be used as a coin toss target until donation time.

The money raised in the coin toss will be added to the total from the sale of pink items that will be given to the Cancer Society.

In addition to all of its collecting, the center is disseminating important information.

Throughout the month, potential new members who try the center's equipment will receive a new tool to help detect breast cancer.

Liv Aid, a flat device filled with saline, helps detect changes in breast tissue by magnifying the feel of small lumps.

Additionally, the group will provide information about the detection of breast cancer during its Girls Night In event Oct. 22 that is being put on in collaboration with three other Las Vegas Curves locations.

Herring said the open-to-the-public event will run 6-9 p.m. and will include a wellness fair, guest speakers and a fashion show. The event will take place at Community Lutheran Church, 3720 E. Tropicana Ave.

Speakers include certified health educator Sandy Abrams and representative from the American Cancer Society, Paulette Anderson. Herring said she also has a couple of local doctors who may participate.

Herring said attendees who bring an underwear donation to the event will receive a raffle ticket to win prizes such as a pair of Versace sunglasses.

In the meantime the public is welcome to contribute to either the underwear or cancer society donation drive.

Donations may be dropped off at Curves, 9850 S. Maryland Parkway Suite 9.

For more information call 492-6245.

Ashley Livingston can be reached at 990-8925 or [email protected].