By Laura McAlister
Journal Editor
A young fashionista and an avid runner are teaming up to help in the fight against cancer.
Sarah Beth Blakely, an eighth grader at Mountain Brook Junior High, is heading up a Relay for Life Team at her school. Team members will don black tank tops with the signature Coco Chanel logo on front, but in this case, the double Cs stand for Cure Crew. On the back are team nicknames; Sarah Beth’s is “Sibizzle.”
“I had to email Chanel to get permission to use the logo,” Sarah Beth said. “It took about a week, but I got approval. Everybody really likes them, and we’ve had people asking us about buying them.”
To complete their race-day look, the Cure Crew will be wearing shorts designed by runner Angela Pewitt. The Mountain Brook resident started Alektra RunWear, and a portion of the proceeds from the sale of her shorts will now go to Relay for Life.
Angela’s athletic clothing line has about four styles of shorts. She said she knew her black and white graphic design would pair nicely with the Cure Crew tanks. She found out about the team from her niece, Margaret Pewitt, a member of the Cure Crew.
It was just an added benefit that the sale of the shorts to team members would also help Relay for Life. Angela said a portion of all sales of the runwear on April 20 will be donated to Mountain Brook’s Relay for Life.
“I thought it would be a great idea to partner with them,” Angela said. “Everybody has been affected by cancer in some way. To me, this is really about giving back.”
Angela started Alektra RunWear about four years ago. She said she always had trouble finding “fun and unique” running clothes. Then, on a trip to New York City, she found some graphic patterns and decided to make her own running shorts.
“I found a seamstress,” Angela said. “I had a friend on the lake who worked for Russell Athletics, and he helped me find someone in Mississippi (to make them.)”
All the shorts are made with breathable, lightweight fabric and have an added liner and an inside pocket.
The shorts can be purchased online at www.alektrarunwear.com and are also sold at the Trak Shak, Mountain Brook Sporting Goods and the Mountain Brook YMCA.
Angela said her running shorts have been selling well, as have Sarah Beth’s Cure Crew tanks.
The Cure Crew has a goal of raising $2,400, and thanks to the tanks, she believes they’ll reach it.
“Each girl (on the team) gave $24 for the shirt, and we took $10 to put towards our $2,400 goal for Relay,” she said.
The Cure Crew also hosted a bake sale and plans to have a photo booth at the Mountain Brook Relay, set for April 20 from 4 p.m.-midnight at Mountain Brook High School’s Spartan Stadium.
Other Relay for Life events in the Over the Mountain area are planned:
– Homewood’s Relay for Life will be April 27 from 4 p.m.-7 a.m. at Homewood Central Park. The opening ceremony will be at 6 p.m. and a survivor lap at 6:15 p.m. The fight back ceremony starts at midnight with the closing ceremony and final lap at 5 a.m.
– The Hoover Relay for life will be April 27 from 6 p.m.-6 a.m. at Spain Park’s Jaguar Stadium. The overnight event will celebrate those who have had cancer and remember those who lost their battle with it. In 2011, Hoover raised more than $99,000 for the American Cancer Society through Relay for Life.
– The Vestavia Hills Relay for Life event will begin at noon April 21 at Vestavia Hills High School.
