Saving the lives of Loudoun and Fauquier women motivated more than 900 people and organizations to commit $106,700 to the Cherry Blossom Breast Cancer Foundation's three Oct. 9, 2011 Walks and 5K Runs.

Middleburg maintained its generous leadership with $46,266 contributed to the Foundation's effort. Participation was about 300 with 90 girls and staff from Foxcroft School raising $1875 that was matched by former parent, Marcy Harris. Mayor Betsy Davis and Senator Jill Vogel welcomed the enthusiastic crowd.

In Leesburg, 410 people met at Morven Park where Leesburg Mayor Kirsten Umstadtt helped cut the pink ribbon to start the event. Raising $33,766, with enthusiasm stoked by a WINC-FM on-site broadcast, supporters saw a 100+ member team from Dr. Behz Parva's Leesburg practice and one of 70+, Shari's Soldiers, who came to support the breast cancer fight of Shari LaTour. Her daughter joined the two daughters of the late Kelly Plunkett of Ashburn to cut the pink ribbon.

In Warrenton, $26,600 was raised from 190 participants and sponsors, with Fauquier Hospital generating a large team to run or walk on the historic Greenway Trail. Mayor George Fitch helped cut the ribbon with Foundation Vice-Chair, Mary Jo Jackson; the mayor then ran the course. Panera Bread of the Warrenton Village Center distributed bagels and committed to raise money the whole month of October for the Foundation.

Sponsorships constituted $85,500 of the $106,700, led by Grand Sponsor, Middleburg Bank, and Applied Knowledge Group, the Weissberg Corporation, Creighton Farms, and Times Community News. Twenty-one other companies, foundations, and individuals sponsored amounts from $1000 to $2500.

The Cherry Blossom Breast Cancer Foundation will decide in November the 2011 recipients of its grants, which last year totaled $141,000 for local women. The Foundation is a 501(C)3 tax deductible organization located in Middleburg, VA. For more information, please visit www.cherryblossombreastcancerfoundation.org