Students at Clanton Middle School participated in a walk on Oct. 16 to raise money for breast cancer.

Jerry Grooms, one of Chilton County’s Men in Pink” hosted the run to help raise money for Chilton County Relay For Life and the American Cancer Society.

During the month of October, 17 local public figures have committed to wearing pink throughout October.

The Men in Pink will also be raising money for both Chilton County Relay For Life and the American Cancer Society, and whoever raises the most money will be named Chilton County’s “Man in Pink.”

“We had a lot of fun,” Grooms said. “We ended up having about 780 people who walked. We just walked around the school between Clanton Middle School and Clanton Intermediate School.”

Grooms said mostly students and teachers participated in the walk, and those interested in walking were asked to pay $2.

Overall, Grooms said the walk raised roughly $911.

“I have had a ball this month,” Grooms said. “I wear my pink shirts, and people sometimes give me a hard time about wearing the pink, but I have fun with it. The most important thing about all of this is that we raise a lot of money and make people aware about breast cancer awareness. That really is the most important thing.”

The walk was held in honor of two women at CMS who learned they had breast cancer.

Kim Ray, who is a substitute teacher and bus driver was diagnosed with breast cancer in July and is currently undergoing chemotherapy treatments.

The wife of physical education teacher Carlis Kelvin is also undergoing chemotherapy treatments.

Students were encouraged to wear pink on Friday and could wear a pink hat for $1 to show their support.

Grooms said Chilton County High School also held a pink hat day, and Clanton Elementary School and Clanton Intermediate School will both have a pink hat or jersey day on Friday.

Grooms has been an active American Cancer Society volunteer for 20 years.

His wife, Vickey, is a 16-year cancer survivor and Grooms is a kidney cancer survivor.

“I think this month has been great to see the community step up and raise money to find a cure for this disease,” Grooms said. “The other candidates for the Men in Pink are all naturally competitive so it has been fun to try and see how much money we can raise.”