Decked out in visors with the MACPA logo and Race for the Cure t-shirts, a large contingent of MACPA members, staff and their guests crossed the finish line at the Komen Detroit Race for the Cure as the loudspeaker announced “here come the CPAs.”

The MACPA sponsored a nearly 80-member team at the race on Saturday, June 5, to celebrate breast cancer survivors and remember lost loved ones. Team members either ran or walked a 3.1-mile course or a one-mile course to show their support for this initiative, which raises money to help in the fight against breast cancer.

The MACPA New Professionals Task Force organized the MACPA team as part of their community outreach efforts.

“It was great to have so many people get together for a common goal,” said MACPA New Professional member Renee Reynolds, a senior tax accountant at Deloitte & Touche. “Everyone showed a lot of enthusiasm for what we were trying to accomplish. When walking on the overpass, we even had cars honking to support us walkers and runners.”

Reynolds said she really enjoyed participating in the race and plans to do it again next year.

“I participated in the race to give back to the community, to hopefully save someone from the disease or at least provide some comfort to people with the disease, and also to join together with others in the community,” Reynolds said.

KPMG’s Sean Keenan, who is secretary of MACPA and treasurer of the Race for the Cure, introduced the possibility of a “CPA Team.” So, Amy Drouillard, a CPA at Deloitte & Touche LLP and chair of the New Professionals Task Force, launched the creation of the MACPA team by inviting MACPA’s new professional members to participate.

“It was great to have all the people downtown participating in such a great cause,” Drouillard said. “My reasons for participating have become more personal this year; not only do I enjoy the exercise but my aunt was diagnosed with breast cancer this April so the cause has become even more near and dear to my heart than it has been in the past. It's great to know that there are lots of women out there beating this deadly disease. I think participating in the event is important because it helps to spread the awareness to others.”

Many MACPA team members also participated in Friends of the Cure by obtaining monetary donations from the community. These funds, along with all proceeds from the race, will help support breast cancer education, research, screening and treatment programs. Seventy-five percent of all proceeds raised from the event remain in the local community, while the other 25 percent is allocated to national breast cancer research grants.

For more information on the New Professionals Task Force, please contact Sara Ward at 248.267.3700.

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