Chilkat Valley News - Serving Haines and Klukwan, Alaska since 1966

The fifth annual Chilkat River Walk-Run-Ride from Klukwan to Haines on Saturday will support the Haines Hospice Cancer Travel Fund, which provides a one-time travel stipend for Haines residents diagnosed with cancer.

Since 2007, approximately 420 walkers have raised about $5,700 for the travel fund and other cancer causes. Saturday’s event has a $10 suggested donation.

This year, participants can run or bicycle the course, in addition to walking.

The 23-mile route from Klukwan to Haines starts at 8 a.m. at the Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium Klukwan Health Center and ends at the Southeast Alaska State Fairgrounds, with free hot dogs or pizza available for purchase.

A bus will depart the fairgrounds at 7:15 a.m. to take participants to the start of the course. New this year is a second start time at 10 a.m. at 10 Mile Haines Highway. The bus will leave the fairgrounds at 9:30 a.m. for the second start and will return to Haines at noon.

There will be no designated aid stations along the route, so entrants are encouraged to pack their own water bottles and snacks. Volunteers will drive marked support vehicles to distribute water and snacks.

To learn more about the Chilkat River Walk/Run/Ride, call Kathryn Friedle at 766-6366 or Pam Sloper at 766-6367.

The event also promotes the mobile mammogram van’s trips to Haines. The van next is scheduled to visit Haines Aug. 29 to Sept. 12. Women planning to get a mammogram should have their clinical breast exams complete before the van arrives.

For more information about mobile mammograms, contact the SEARHC Haines Health Center at 766-6300.