Chocolate, with a side of awareness

The Women’s Center brought breast cancer awareness to campus in full force Tuesday. The Talley Student Center Boardroom was covered from floor to ceiling in pink for the Women’s Center fifth annual Chocolate Festival.

The Chocolate Festival is an event that mixes a love for chocolate with the initiative to spread breast cancer awareness to college women across campus.

The event's goal is to “encourage breast cancer awareness in college women and to share the importance of early detection,” Laci Weeden, the assistant director the Women’s Center, said.

More than 700 people and 150 volunteers share Weeden’s passion for the cure.

Among those volunteers were members of the Zeta Tau Alpha, who set up a booth in support of their philanthropy, breast cancer awareness.

Blair Rollings, a junior in biology and a Zeta Tau Alpha sister, said, “this event is great because we get to come out and promote breast cancer research and awareness in a way that reaches out to the entire campus.”
Carrie Chase, a sophomore in communication and Rolling’s ZTA sister agreed with the sentiment.

“We have a lot of chapter events, but an event as big as this one has the potential to touch everybody."

Also present were representatives from several organizations, including Triangle Helping Hands, The Pretty in Pink Foundation and Susan G. Komen for the Cure each set up a booth at the event. Each organization provided literature and brochures that discuss how to conduct self examinations and shared stories of breast cancer survivors.

Millie Bozek, a volunteer with the Susan G. Komen Foundation and a breast cancer survivor, said her experience with breast cancer often brings her to events like this one.

“We have to share this information with anyone who will listen, even if we only reach two people, it’s worth it,” Bozek said.

Weeden said the Women’s Center chose chocolate as its theme because organizers “wanted to find a way to attract as many people as we could in order to educate as many women as we can, and make them aware that breast cancer can affect their lives,” Weeden said.

Raleigh and Cary Bakeries, including Twisted Fork, PF Changs, The Cheesecake Factory, The Chocolate Bean, Blue Moon Bakery and Chocolate Smiles donated goodies such as chocolate cookies, chocolate cupcakes, Milky Way cake and a chocolate fountain for those who attended.

"This event is effective because it provides women with information they should know in a forum they enjoy," Bozek said. "Plus, they are surrounded by as much chocolate as they can eat – who doesn’t love that?"