Art with a Heart: Corn Maze Dedicated to Cancer Survivors

Corn Maze with the American Cancer Society Logo to be unveiled in September.

Residents of Southwest Washington always look forward to the annual Rutledge Corn Maze that’s unveiled every Fall. This year, the annual event is made even more special by dedicating the maze’s design to the American Cancer Society.

The Maze has been a favorite local event in the past few years. People residing in nearby communities’ flock to the small town to find their way to the finish line. The organizers of this year’s event hope that the maze will represent a survivor’s struggle against the disease – a long an winding road that requires patience, support and passion.

Robby Rutledge, also known as Olympia’s resident Corn Maze King, was happy to oblige Nichole Woolsey’s request to create a maze that shows support for cancer survivors in their community. As an employee of the American Cancer Society, Nichole knows all too well how a show of support can boost a survivor’s will to win the battle.

The intricate design took two years to plan and organize. But as Nichole said, everything was well worth it. Robby was enthusiastic about creating the design to raise awareness about how cancer affects people.

The organizers hope to help the efforts of the American Cancer Society by donating a percentage of the revenue to the ACS’s 5K Walk, Strides Against Breast Cancer.

In addition, they will also encourage guests to donate 1 dollar for the cause. They are hoping to hit the $25,000 mark at the end of the event.

Making Strides is just one of the ACS’s fundraising arms that aims to support life-changing research such as the discovery of the BRCA gene mutation. This discovery totally changed the way people saw their risk of developing breast cancer. Women are now given the reins when it comes to their own health. They have the option to get tested more often or get in touch with a specialist!

Breast cancer survivor Corin Wohl and her family are direct beneficiaries of the BRCA gene discovery. Corin had her sister and her daughter tested for the gene as well. She was surprised to find out that all three of them tested positive!

It is this kind of stories that continue to inspire the volunteers to keep doing what they’re doing. Every penny raised for research will have such a lasting impact on women worldwide.

Come and visit the Rutledge Corn farm when it opens on September 16.