By Lt. JJ Hernandez
Chuckawalla Valley State Prison
Chuckawalla Valley State Prison (CVSP) staff recently raised more than $10,000 to fight breast cancer.
Some participated in the Steps for the Cure Cancer Walk held in Blythe. Uniformed staff replaced their usual state-issued black-and-yellow patches with “pink patches.” Medical staff and staff from other departments wore or sported some type of pink item or symbols, all in support of Breast Cancer Awareness month.
The Employees’ Association donated a gift card tree for the fourth year in a row. CVSP staff members from all departments came together and donated gift cards ranging from $15 to $150. This year, by the time the tree was delivered to the cancer walk, prison staff had collected $4,250 in gift cards.
On Nov. 2, during the Steps for the Cure Cancer Walk, Blythe Cancer Resource Center raffled the gift card tree. In all, the event raised a record-breaking $10,331.
A special thanks to the Employees’ Association for their hard work and generosity in making this donation happen.
In addition, the Community Resource Office got the inmate population involved by sponsoring a Walk-A-Thon on all the CVSP facilities.
Community Resource Manager Kenny Kalian and his staff raised $649. All money raised by inmates and staff was donated to the Blythe Community Resource Center.