SWOCC release – Coos Bay, OR – Southwestern Oregon Community College’s Junior Chamber of Commerce is hosting the 7th Annual Bear Claw’s 5K Your Way and Health Fair benefiting the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network with some exciting new additions. The Junior Chamber is collaborating with Zonta’s Coos County Women’s Health Coalition who will be sponsoring a health fair and bringing many more exhibitors. There will also be a bounce house obstacle course available to enjoy and Elk Horn BBQ will be on-site as well. Beginning at 9 a.m., Saturday, May 18, 2019, the 7th Annual Bear Claw’s 5K Your Way – walk, jog or run – will take place at Southwestern Oregon Community College located at 1988 Newmark Ave., Coos Bay. Students, faculty, and community members will gather to raise awareness for pancreatic cancer, and to promote health and fitness in the community. Since the first Bear Claw’s 5K and Health Fair, the group has raised over $10,000 for Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. Southwestern’s Business Instructor, Jessica Engelke, who lost both her Father, Jim “Bear Claw” Engelke and Grandmother, Eleanor Mateski to pancreatic cancer has made a lifelong pledge to continue raising money and awareness towards this deadly disease. Engelke stated that the National Cancer Institute reports that pancreatic cancer is on the rise in the United States and there will be an estimated 55,400 new cases in 2018, with only an 8.5 percent survival rate after five years. If you would like to learn more about the 5K or inquire about a table at the health fair, contact Jessica Engelke at 541-297-7263. The health fair and registration begin at 9 a.m. in Henry Hansen Union Square (the quad). The 5K starts at 10 am. Participation is FREE; suggested donation to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network is $5. For additional information, e-mail Jessica.engelke@socc.edu.
