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<p>EXETER &#8212; On the way home from a walk benefiting Candy&#8217;s Place Wellness Center sponsored by the American Grill on Sunday, Judey Hopkins saw a rainbow.</p><p>To Hopkins, it was much more than simply a bit of color in the sky following a torrential downpour.</p><p>Instead, she said, she believed it was a sign from those who had lost their battle with cancer, a confirmation of their presence at the event.</p><p>&#8220;We had released balloons in the sky as a tribute to them early this morning,&#8221; she said. &#8220;Then when I saw the rainbow, I felt like the day was truly complete.&#8221;</p><p>Hopkins, herself a cancer survivor, walked with friends and family who had also been affected by cancer.</p><p>From start to finish, she said, the day was filled with purpose and a positive spirit.</p><p>&#8220;This morning, we had face painting, water, doughnuts and even cupcakes,&#8221; she said. &#8220;When we finished up the 2-mile walk, we spent time at the restaurant, eating and listening to music by Michael Feeney and Handsome Devils.&#8221;</p><p>She said she was overwhelmed with the response of the community.</p><p>&#8220;I challenged each of my 450 Facebook friends to give a dollar,&#8221; she said. &#8220;Well, I ended up with $770 as of today.&#8221;</p><p>Hopkins said local businesses and individuals donated over $2,500 in gift basket items.</p><p>&#8220;It might not be something that you would expect in this day and age,&#8221; she said. &#8220;But, people have been totally awesome.&#8221;</p><p>Jacklyn Ganz, a board member, agreed.</p><p>She said in spite of a very warm morning and periods of drizzle, people who made the walk had smiles on their faces.</p><p>Before the walk, Ganz addressed the crowd, providing information about services provided and the history of the center.</p><p>&#8220;Some participants don&#8217;t know what we&#8217;re about, she said. &#8220;So it&#8217;s nice to tell them a little bit about Candy&#8217;s Place.&#8221;</p><p>Ganz said community fundraisers such as Sunday&#8217;s events, made it possible for the center to provide services to patients and their caregivers at no cost.&#8221;</p><p>The group, Ganz said, was buoyed by a group of emergency medical services personnel that waved and clapped as they went by.</p><p>Candy&#8217;s Place was started by Penny Cunningham shortly after the death of her sister Candy from cancer in 1998.</p><p>It encourages cancer patients and their caregivers to gather for emotional support and activities.</p><p>The center offers services which include massages, reiki therapy, reflexology, exercise classes and facials.</p><p>It also offers a &#8220;wig room&#8221; for those patients who have lost their hair due to cancer treatments.</p><p>&#8220;We also offer a lot of support groups that are so important to our patients,&#8221; Ganz said.</p><p>Ganz said the center consistently responds to the needs of the patients it serves.</p><p>&#8220;Currently we have an &#8216;eat better, live better&#8217; program running for four weeks, with an exercise instructor. Nutrition is so important,&#8221; she said.</p><p>Men and women of all ages participated in Sunday&#8217;s walk, from children to senior citizens.</p><p>Dan Hastings, general manager at the American Grill, said the business sponsorship was consistent with the business&#8217; commitment to community.</p><p>Hastings said the grill, which has occupied its spot on Wyoming Avenue for about a year, has sponsored various events throughout the year.</p><p>&#8220;We did a bike run for vets, bikes for tikes run and school fundraisers,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Anytime we can help, we do.&#8221;</p><p>The day also included live music, a 50/50 drawing and a basket raffle.</p><p>Many participants had loved ones who are cancer survivors or are survivors themselves. They were able to designate themselves as walking &#8220;in memory&#8221; or &#8220;in honor&#8221; of someone.</p><p>Hastings looks forward to continued opportunities to support community endeavors.</p><p>&#8220;We&#8217;re going to do this again next year,&#8221; he said. &#8220;This is going to be an annual tradition.&#8221;</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Participants for the American Grill Walk for Candy&#8217;s Place congregate outside of the restaurant before the 2-mile walk. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_TTL080116CancerWalk1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Participants for the American Grill Walk for Candy&#8217;s Place congregate outside of the restaurant before the 2-mile walk. </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_TTL080116CancerWalk2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Volunteer Judey Hopkins speaks to participants of a cancer walk before the event outside of the American Grill in Exeter on Sunday. Particpants engaged in a moment of silence to remember loved ones who died of cancer. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_TTL080116CancerWalk2.jpg</photo1><caption1>Volunteer Judey Hopkins speaks to participants of a cancer walk before the event outside of the American Grill in Exeter on Sunday. Particpants engaged in a moment of silence to remember loved ones who died of cancer. </caption1><photoCredit1></photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_TTL080116CancerWalk3.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Hopkins sorts through T-shirts that were available for purchase at Sunday&#8217;s walk. Hopkins was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2015 but is now in remission after receiving chemotherapy treatment. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_TTL080116CancerWalk3.jpg</photo2><caption2>Hopkins sorts through T-shirts that were available for purchase at Sunday&#8217;s walk. Hopkins was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2015 but is now in remission after receiving chemotherapy treatment. </caption2><photoCredit2></photoCredit2></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_TTL080116CancerWalk4.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Participants return from the 2-mile American Grill Walk for Candy&#8217;s Place. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo3>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_TTL080116CancerWalk4.jpg</photo3><caption3>Participants return from the 2-mile American Grill Walk for Candy&#8217;s Place. </caption3><photoCredit3></photoCredit3></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_TTL080116CancerWalk5.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Volunteer Kaleigh Shission paints a bumble bee on the face of Ty Cruz, 4, of Exeter, at the American Grill Walk, which featured food, a raffle and live music. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo4>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_TTL080116CancerWalk5.jpg</photo4><caption4>Volunteer Kaleigh Shission paints a bumble bee on the face of Ty Cruz, 4, of Exeter, at the American Grill Walk, which featured food, a raffle and live music. </caption4><photoCredit4></photoCredit4></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Geri Gibbons</p><p>ggibbons@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Geri Gibbons at 570-991-6117 or on Twitter @TLGGibbons.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

American Grill walk for Candy’s Place raises funds for cancer patients