Walk 5K, Eat a Dosa, Save a Life in India
At the 5K Run/Walk for a Cancer Cure were from right, Kanchan Kabad from IACAN, Pooja Prasad and her mother Mangala Prasad, President of HKV and a participant.
By Jawahar Malhotra
HOUSTON: If there were hundreds sweating it out and running (or walking) the 5K path around Pavilion 8 in Bear Creek Park, there were probably a dozen grown men in shorts and caps in two teams of 6 each who were sweating the small stuff made of rice powder batter over portable gas-fired big flatirons. Each team had their own secret sauce of dosas and masala filling and pretty soon, they were in for a competition on the best dosa: thin and crispy or the smaller, softer one, each made adoringly with a layer of butter.
“Only one dosa a piece, please, until 10am when the rest of the runners get back,” shouted Shivamurthy Keelara into the microphone which was being monopolized by two young teens who were imploring eaters to donate $2 per dosa. “Let them get a chance at a dosa too,” Keelara added. The din of the mega-speaker system added to the congestion of people under the pavilion and others loitered around to the grassy space, still wet with the morning dew.
One of the dosa making teams working feverishly to perfect their art before a competition with the other team.
The Houston Kannada Vrinda organized the Association of Kannada Kootas of America or AKKA 5K charity Run/Walk for Cancer Awareness this past Sunday, August 12 at Bear Creek Park in association with Shri Krishna Vrundavana and the Indian American Cancer Network. The proceeds from this event will be used to purchase a “Mobile Mammography Bus” that will travel to the rural areas of Karnataka and provide early diagnosis of cancer in women. This event is a lead-in to the 10th AKKA World Conference to be held in Dallas from August 31 to Sept 2.
The event was attended by over 300 people and the runners each got registered and had their official times kept by the start/stop archway. Adults and kids of all age groups were given a Certification of Participation. The top three boy and girl runners in each of the three different age groups (under 10, 11 to14 and15 to19 years) and the top three male and female runners in the adults’ categories were presented with medals.
The organizers of the AKKA 5K charity run/walk for Cancer Awareness at Bear Creek Park pose under their start-stop archway last Sunday, August 12. AKKA President Shivamurthy Keelara is kneeling, second from left.
AKKA President Shivamurthy Keelara attended the event and encouraged people to participate in the Dallas Conference. Sri Preston Kulkarni, the Democratic challenger to incumbent Pete Olson for the Congressional District 22 seat also came by to meet everyone and share his ideas for the election which will be held this November. Dr. Anish Meerashib, an oncologist spoke about early detection of cancer and the importance of supporting research for a cure.
The event was sponsored by many local businesses and HKV members and all in all, the fun filled family event raised over $8,000 towards buying the mobile van.