Thirteen members of Gunn’s Pink Ribbon Club were among the thousands of participants running or walking in the San Francisco Komen Race for the Cure on Sept. 24.

The Pink Ribbon Club actively supports the Susan G. Komen Foundation, an organization that raises funds for breast cancer awareness and research in the Bay Area. However, this is the first year they participated in the annual Race for the Cure as a group.

“I think that everyone felt pretty proud because we actually actively participated on this walk for breast cancer, whereas usually we just raise money and donate it,” club co-president senior Jennifer Lien said.

With the help of family, friends and even Gunn teachers, the participating members worked to raise money. “We raised about $550 dollars from donations which all went towards the race,” club co-president senior Katie Yip said.

The 5k race started at 8 a.m. at the Ferry building in San Francisco, where participants performed a “cha-cha” warm up and then embarked on a course which stretched along the Embarcadero.

Many encouraging volunteers worked in booths on the sidelines of the race handing out little things like granola bars, pink mirrors and scarves. There were also drummers at the midway point of the race to rally the runners.

The event attracted a large, diverse group of participants. “There were about 5,000 walkers or runners in the race not including the volunteers, so the turnout was pretty big,” Lien said. “There were people in wheelchairs, people with pets, young children and a lot more men than I had expected.”

Taking part in the race was a positive accomplishment for the Pink Ribbon Club. “Being able to see so [breast cancer survivors] in pink shirts walking and running together really brings the whole experience clearly in focus,” Yip said.

Club advisor Deborah Sanderson thinks fondly of the club members. “The girls have never disappointed me,” she said.