The annual De Soto Goes Pink walk will look a little different this year. The event, which raises money for local women battling breast cancer, will be held on Saturday in De Soto.
This year, the fundraiser will be a Charity Walk & SXS Ride, with each activity starting and ending at VFW Post 1831, at 1651 Veterans Drive in De Soto.
Organizer Linda Henry said this is the first time the walk won’t be on Main Street.
The walk will start at the VFW, travel up Veterans Drive (Hwy. E), through Walther Park and back to the VFW.
“We will not be blocking off Main Street that way,” she said, adding she believes the route will be safer and less challenging.
Henry said this is the first time the event will include a side-by-side ride.
The walk will begin at 9 a.m., with registration starting at 8 a.m. The cost is $20, and walkers will receive a T-shirt and goodie bag while supplies last.
The side-by-side ride will start at 11 a.m., with registration beginning at 9 a.m. The cost is $10 per person.
Or, for those who want to take part in both the walk and ride, the cost is $25.
All riders must show a driver’s license and proof of insurance, and all other street-legal vehicles are welcome in the ride.
The ride will start and end at the VFW, with stops at De Soto Elks Lodge 689, 1520 Clarke St.; LaChance Vineyards, 12237 Peter Moore Lane near De Soto; The Pub at Lake Timberline, 9365 Berry Road near Bonne Terre; and Fyre Lake Winery, 12902 E. Hwy. 47 near Cadet.
Back at the VFW, there will be finger foods and music provided by DJ Greg Cage.
“We are trying to do things a little bit different to get more participation,” Henry said. “The VFW has been good, as far as helping us.”
De Soto Goes Pink is a charitable organization that provides financial and emotional support to Jefferson County breast cancer patients.
Henry said De Soto Goes Pink does not have a long application process like larger organizations, and anyone who needs help may contact her to seek assistance with electric bills, medical insurance co-payments, hospital and doctor’s office visits and more.
For more information about De Soto Goes Pink or the fundraiser, call Henry at 314-581-7310 or visit desotogoespink.com.
“We are helping more people,” she said. “And with helping more people, we have to make sure to raise more money.”