LANETT — Essie Mae Harris has been coordinating St. Jude Miracle Mile Walk-a-Thons since 1979 and this year had one of her best-ever fundraisers, raising a total of $4,229.50 for the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis.

The walk-a-thon took place outside the Bowen East District Community Center in Lanett’s West Shawmut community on Saturday, June 29.

Four walkers raised more than $3,000 on the day of the walk.

Gloria Jones raised $540, Vivian A. Nelloms raised $900, Harris brought in $968.50 and Tommy Lee Woody generated $668. The Rev. Dr. Lamar D. Johnson and members of Mount Hermon Baptist Church added a donation of $1,158 to bring the grand total to $4,234.50,

The motto for the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is “Most men dream dreams, but only a few see their dreams come true.”

Cancer is the leading disease killer of American children and is second only to accidents as the leading cause of death of the young.

“Thank you for your support,” Harris said to those who donated to the Miracle Mile Walk-a-Thon. “Your donations help St. Jude in its continuing mission of finding cures and saving the lives of children who are bravely fighting cancer.”