Friends of Decorah lawyer will run in his honor on Saturday

The Colon Cancer Coalition is hosting the second annual "Get Your Rear in Gear" 5K Run and Walk this coming Saturday in Waukon--and one of the teams will run in honor of Decorah lawyer Marion Beatty.

The event is being held to highlight the importance of screening for colon cancer, encouraging the public to take action and talk to their doctor about screening.  The race also serves to honor those who are battling colon cancer, as is the case with Decorah's Marion Beatty.

Decorah attorney Barrett Gipp, who is organizing the "Beatty's Barristers" team along with attorney Laurie Parish, says they are printing t-shirts for 35 team members.  Gipp says 75 percent of all funds raised from registration fees for the run and walk will be spent locally.

Colon cancer claims more than 54,000 lives in the U.S. every year.  Colon cancer is preventable with regular screening and very treatable if caught in its early stages, which is why colonoscopies are so important.

Anyone interested in running in the "Northeast Iowa Get Your Rear in Gear 5K" can pre-register at www.getyourrearingear.com, or can show up starting at 7:00 a.m. Saturday at St. Patrick's School, 200 2nd Street SW in Waukon.  If you register by Tuesday, registration is $20 for adults and $12 for children 12 and under. Starting Wednesday the fee increases to $25 for adults and $15 for children 12 and under.