Mary GravesAsk anyone who lives in the Highlands and they will tell you that Lakeside Swim Club is a huge part of their community. Founded in 1924, Lakeside remains one of the best places in town to cool off during the dog days of summer as well as stay fit in the winter. However, serving these purposes in the community is not enough for the swim club. They also choose to give back to the community in a variety of ways, including their participation in the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk.

Mary Graves, assistant general manager at Lakeside, says she was invited to get involved with the program a few years ago by Nancy Chatham, a breast cancer survivor and former Lakeside tai chi and water aerobics instructor who was serving on the organizing committee of Making Strides.

For Graves, breast cancer has been the focus of community outreach in her business and has also had a personal impact on her life. “I have had several friends endure the illness of breast cancer. To watch them go through the process of diagnosis, treatment and recovery is quite the ordeal,” she says.

For the past four years, Lakeside has shown an outstanding team effort in the fight against breast cancer. Not only have they participated in the Making Strides event to support the American Cancer Society’s mission, but many Lakeside members have served on the Survivorship Committee for the event. “Our team likes the camaraderie of the walk as well as the awareness to breast cancer research it provides,” says Graves.

Lakeside truly comes together to help support Making Strides Against Breast Cancer. When describing her favorite part of the event, Graves says, “I enjoy uniting our fitness classes of aerobics, aqua aerobics, body sculpting, pilates, tai chi and yoga, and the Masters Adult Swim Team to participate in our team brunch and walk together representing Lakeside, with the common goal of raising funds to find the cure for breast cancer.”

The American Cancer Society’s 12th annual Making Strides Against Breast Cancer non-competitive, family-friendly 5K walk will take place Sunday, October 25. Registration begins at 11:30 a.m. The event will have a rolling start, allowing walkers to arrive anytime between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. to register and begin the walk, which begins and ends at Waterfront Park, Downtown.

For more information about Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Louisville, call (502) 854-WALK or e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .