May 2009 Do The 2 Walker Spotlight: Jill Hutchinson

Boot Scootin for Boobies: Young Woman Participates in Atlanta 2-Day Walk for Breast Cancer for Friends and Family Touched by the Disease

Jill Hutchinson of Decatur, has been “doing the 2” since 2007. The 26-year-old credit analyst for GreenSky Financial first heard about the Atlanta 2-Day Walk for Breast Cancer through a couple of friends that were already walkers and has since formed the walking team, Boot Scootin Boobies. Although not a survivor herself, she has been touched by breast cancer through many people in her life.

“I am walking for three people. My great grandmother, Hilda Koenig, lived to be 94 after a double mastectomy. My aunt, Debbie Epstein, battled breast cancer for five years before passing away in February 2007. And now I am walking in honor of Wendy Anderson. She is a friend of my mom’s who was diagnosed right before the 2-Day Walk in 2008. My Grandma Hilda and Aunt Debbie gave me the motivation to sign up for the 2-Day, and Wendy gives me the strength and motivation to go the 30 miles” she said.

Several factors contributed to her choosing to do the 2-Day Walk, instead of participating in other walks around Atlanta. “The people made a huge impact,” said Jill. “Randi Passoff, the founder, and her friend, Dale Danneman, are possibly the most hilarious best friends I’ve ever met. You feel as though you’ve always known them.”

“The fact that the funds are kept right here in Atlanta is also very important to me. It’s a great feeling to give to the community in such a direct way. Only walking 30 miles, as opposed to 60, and staying in a hotel, instead of a tent, is the icing on the cake. I have every reason to stay involved with this organization.”

Jill is captain of the Boot Scootin Boobies team, which she and her partner, Ray Roberts, started last year. “A friend of Ray’s is currently battling breast cancer and I wanted to walk in honor of those I mentioned,” Jill said. “The team name is in reference to our love of two-stepping and country line-dancing. This year we added my best friend, Kristin Shields, and a new friend, Alyssa Harvey, who we met at the 2009 Kick-Off Orientation at Maggiano’s.”

Boot Scootin Boobies is tackling fundraising in a variety of fun and unique ways. In April, they hosted a yard sale and were given lots of donations of clothing and other items to sell. In May, Jill got her office to have “Jeans Day for the 2-Day,” where each employee who donated $5 got to wear jeans on a Wednesday. So far, they’ve raised $2,165 of their $5,000 goal. But June is where they’re turning up the heat.

They’ll be hosting the 2nd Annual TaTaPalooza, Rock for a Cure at Smith’s Olde Bar on June 20, at 6 p.m. Performances include Arlington Priest, Gareth Asher, Heather Luttrell, Lindsey Hinkle, Tracy Newton, Walter Hinton, Angela Motter, and 3rd Wheel. Tickets are $12 at the door. One-hundred percent of the concert proceeds will be donated to the team. There will also be drawings for door prizes donated from various companies around Atlanta. For more information, visit www.myspace.com/bootscootinboobies.

Additionally, they’re maximizing their team’s exposure through social media. “We’re also on Facebook and TaTaPalooza is listed on about 30 different websites including Atlanta Lesbian Health Initiative, Southern Voice, Creative Loafing, and Access Atlanta” Jill said.