Central Park’s Making Strides Against
Breast Cancer walk returns in uplifting style
BY DEAN MOSES
Hundreds walked through Central
Park on Oct. 17 in search of a cure
for breast cancer, and to support
all those fi ghting the illness.
The annual Making Strides Against
Breast Cancer, in support of the American
Cancer Society, returned for the fi rst inperson
extravaganza after a COVID-19
hiatus on Sunday morning. Although the
COVID-19 pandemic had prevented the
charity event from convening, the legion
of pink warriors looked as though they
hadn’t missed a beat as they gathered at
66th Street and Central Park West, raring
to go.
Those participating in the event said it
is all about hope. The warriors who have
battled breast cancer — or have helped a
friend or loved one on their life-changing
journey — cling to the hope that they will
win their fi ght.
Denise Nales knows this all too well.
Cancer has been a predominant force in
her life, not just suffering through breast
cancer herself, she also watched other
members of her family combat the disease
as well — even her dog. Four years ago,
Nales found a lump on her breast during a
self-exam. While she survived the disease,
the journey was diffi cult as family members
Making strides for hope.
were not so fortunate.
“It’s been a rough journey. Other medical
issues came to light, but you never give
up. You wake up grateful to wake up every
day,” Nales said, adding, “Take care of
yourself! Do a self-exam, both men and
women. Yes, men get breast cancer, too.”
For Nales, taking part in Making Strides
is an important part to keeping the memories
of family members alive who’ve passed
away from the disease through fundraising
for cancer research and aid.
“To give back to my community and
raise money and help others and show
people there is hope,” Nales said, adding
PHOTO BY DEAN MOSES
that this is her third Making Strides Walk
among other American Cancer Society
activities.
The American Cancer Society has been
at the forefront of the fi ght against breast
cancer for decades, leading the movement
to help survivors and their families when
they need it most. The funds accumulated
are disseminated to various aspects in
research, aid, and services from those suffering
through breast cancer and survivors.
Additional donations also go toward helping
to ensure that everyone has an equitable
opportunity to prevent, treat, identify, and
survive breast cancer.
More than $76 million from donations
are invested in breast cancer grant research,
as well as funding for 24/7 helplines
to support breast cancer survivors through
their diffi cult journey, according to the
American Cancer Society.
At the Making Stride Central Park Walk,
health and safety precautions were taken to
ensure the event included plenty of social
distancing and hand sanitizer. Masks were
also strongly recommended (especially for
unvaccinated individuals.)
Several small tents marked the areas
for attendees, including a survivor’s tent,
American Cancer Society booth, a wall
of hope with messages individuals could
pose in front of, and an area to make
donations and purchase items for breast
cancer research funding near the Central
Park Bandshell.
Daniel Dividue walks in memory of his
wife, Jenny, who passed away from breast
cancer. They fi rst met in the mid-1980s, but
life circumstances caused Jenny to move to
California and it wasn’t until 2006 when
they were reunited again by chance, and
they fell in love once more. Two years
after they married, she was diagnosed
with breast cancer and the disease rapidly
spread to her liver and then throughout her
whole body.
“It was meant to be,” he said, holding
up a photo of his wife, “I donate yearly, but
I’ve never done the walk. I registered last
week, hurt my leg on Thursday but I made
a promiseto myself and to her. Even though
my leg hurt, I was going to walk.”
Six secure bike parking spots coming to Grand Central Terminal
BY KEVIN DUGGAN
The MTA is a friend of bike
pod.
A small bicycle parking
facility is coming to Grand
Central Terminal some time
in the next month, offering six
spaces for cyclists to safely leave
their two-wheelers free of charge,
MTA offi cials confi rmed Monday,
Oct. 18.
The agency’s Metro-North
Railroad is partnering with
Brooklyn-based startup Oonee to
install the storage unit, dubbed a
“Mini,” at the former taxi stands
at 43rd Street and Vanderbilt
Avenue sometime between late
November to mid-December.
“Metro-North understands the
importance of sustainable transportation
and sees cycling as a
natural partner to mass transit in
that respect,” said Metro-North
President Catherine Rinaldi in
a statement. “We are excited to
work with a local partner for this
pilot, which has game-changing
potential to expand to more
Metro-North stations as well
as subway and LIRR stations
throughout the New York City
region.”
The locked rack will pilot for
one year and be open to bikers on
a fi rst-come-fi rst-serve basis for
people who sign up for an Oonee
membership for free, according to
the company.
“Secure bike parking facilities
have the potential to dramatically
increase the range of New
York’s subway and rail stations
by making it easier for customers
to bike to and from transit,” said
Oonee founder Shabazz Stuart in
a statement.
Stuart previously teased the
Grand Central location along
with more Minis at two as-of-yetundisclosed
properties owned
by the Port Authority of New
York and New Jersey, along with
A rendering of Oonee’s proposed six-space bike parking pod
outside Grand Central at Vanderbilt Avenue and 43rd Street.
a proposal to roll them out at
curbside parking spots in the city.
The Flatbush-based firm
launched its fi rst and larger pod
outside the Long Island Rail
Road’s Atlantic Terminal in 2019
offering 20 bike parking spots and
has recently secured a deal with
COURTESY MTA
Jersey City to install facilities all
over that city.
Despite launching in Brooklyn,
Mayor Bill de Blasio’s Department
of Transportation has been
less proactive about a municipal
secure bike parking program
than his counterparts across the
Hudson, but a DOT spokesperson
previously told amNewYork
Metro that the agency is “exploring
opportunities” with Oonee.
The company is still working
with the Port Authority for specifi
c locations, according to Oonee
spokesperson Catherina Gioino.
De Blasio and the DOT in 2019
wanted to introduce secure bike
parking to the Five Boroughs as
part of the mayor’s Green Wave
plan, but there has been no noticeable
progress on that initiative
since.
At the Midtown transit hub,
Oonee will install and maintain
upkeep of the pod, which will
come with a free air pump,
hydraulic sliding doors, and
insurance coverage for bike and
scooter owners.
Metro-North and the LIRR
recently made it easier for cyclists
to board their commuter trains by
getting rid of bike permits previously
required to ride.
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