MAIN PHOTO: Denise’s Posse leads the participants in the walk out onto Robert Street in Fall River. (Healey photo)
FALL RIVER: It was more than any ordinary walk for friends of the late Denise LaPlante on a mid-Sunday afternoon in October.
More than 40 people—both adults and young kids—gathered on Robert Street for a neighbourhood CIBC Run for the Cure in memory of their good friend. LaPlante used to walk the five-kilometre route in the Schwarzwald subdivision they were about to embark on. The children did a two-kilometre walk.
At a home on Robert Street the spot where they were all to begin was marked and written in chalk in big bold letters that said “Start.” Many of those taking part wrote their own names next to the word in chalk. Each kilometre along the route was also marked in chalk.
The walk began at the home on Robert Street and went towards Karen Avenue. It was held to raise money for Breast Cancer research. It saw people travel from Truro and Yarmouth to Fall River to be part of the run.
As Eleanor Bolton said, the amount of people who came out to take part was amazing.
“It’s really lovely to see,’ said Bolton. “It’s been a community thing for a long time. Denise was a real community person and she brought people together. We’re just continuing that tradition in bringing people together. It’s nice.
“She built this village, so that’s why we’re all here,” added Christina Marchand.
The three said they set a goal of raising $3,000, and they’ve clearly blown that goal out of the water.
“It’s amazing what we’ve done,” said Vicki Gomes. “We’ve tripled that goal.
They have an idea as to why they were able to exceed their goal in easy fashion.
“I think people want to show their support for things like this if they can, a few dollars here, and if they can’t they just came out or were sending us good luck wishes messages,” said Bolton. “Some people have even donated a second time.”
Bolton said it was great that it was a virtual run this year as it allowed them to do the walk in the neighbourhood LaPlante called home on the route their friend did herself.
“I don’t think I would want it any other way,” added Gomez, who became cho9ked up thinking of what doing the walk LaPlante did meant to her.
“It’s like therapy in a way. Doing it with each other, being there for each other,” said Bolton.
It’s clear that LaPlante left a legacy with her friends and neighbourhood and was looking down on her friends cheering them on as they ran in her memory.
