Teri Kozol lost a two-year battle with breast cancer in 2007, but her husband remains focused on winning the war.
Omahan Dave Kozol, 51, and hundreds of other volunteers attack breast cancer every year on the first Sunday of October when they stage the Race for the Cure. The 5-kilometer run and 1-kilometer walk, sponsored by the Nebraska affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Foundation, attracted an Omaha record 19,500 participants Sunday and raised thousands of dollars.
Alissa Neu, the foundation's program manager, said it will be several weeks before all proceeds are counted, but $230,000 toward the goal of $300,000 already was in hand prior to the race.
“We couldn't pull this off without the help of our volunteers,” Neu said.
She called Dave Kozol a “perfect example of those unsung heroes,” as he participates in nearly every fundraiser, recruits other volunteers and “is always there for us.”
A slightly built man about 5-foot-7, Kozol speaks quietly and pauses often to make sure his message is understood. He has a pink ribbon with his wife's name in the center tattooed on his left forearm and the names of his daughters tattooed on his right forearm.
“This isn't just about Teri,” he said of his wife, who died at age 42. “We also lost her mother, her grandmother, two of her aunts and a cousin (to breast cancer). And I have three daughters so, yeah, I want a cure right now.”
Five years ago, Kozol began working on the race by handing out cups of water at the route's halfway point. The next year and every year since, Kozol and members of his extended family have volunteered to keep the water flowing.
“My family had nine kids, and Teri came from a family of 10,” Kozol said. “All I had to do was mention Teri's name, and they all jumped at the chance to do something in her memory.”
Kozol arrived at the Civic Auditorium at 4 a.m. Sunday to collect the supplies needed to set up the water station at 18th and Grant Streets.
About 7 a.m., Kozol's family began lining up long wooden tables. They set out hundreds of cups, then filled them from gallon water jugs strategically placed underneath the table tops.
About 90 minutes later, the first group of runners left the starting gate at the Civic Auditorium and pounded north on 18th Street behind a trio of motorcycle cops. Within minutes, the street was clogged with festively outfitted runners, many wearing T-shirts with personal messages, some wearing crowns and beads. More than 10,000 accepted water cups from the volunteers' outstretched hands, shouting thanks as they pushed on toward the turnaround point two blocks away.
Eileen Waites, daughter of the late jazz musician Luigi Waites, stood on a ramp outside an apartment building, ringing bells and displaying a pink sign that heralded, “Thank You.”
“God bless you,” Waites yelled. “You guys look great. Thanks for all you are doing.”
Waites also called out to Kozol's nieces and nephews as they passed out cups of water. The kids smiled and waved back.
“We put the littlest kids out front because the runners seem to get a kick seeing them,” Kozol said. “They'll pass up an adult to grab a cup from one of the little ones.”
All three of Teri and Dave Kozol's daughters run the race or are members of the water brigade. This year, 16-year-old Theresa Jo Kozol (T Jo to her friends) was full of energy and smiles, despite having been up late the night before for North High's homecoming.
“This is actually a lot of fun because we (volunteer) as a family,” she said. “Besides, I want to see that there is a cure some day, so I help out any way that I can.”
Sisters Katie Kozol, 22, and Carolyn Kozol, 20, attend Northwest Missouri State University. Each of the past three summers, they have participated in a three-day, 60-mile run to raise money for breast cancer.
“The girls have to come up with $2,300 in donations apiece to be in the run,” Dave Kozol said. “I started a horseshoe tournament last summer to help them with their fundraising.”
The horseshoe tournament raised $1,200 and will become an annual event. Kozol likes that it got a lot of guys involved.
“That's what we need,” he said. “This fight (against breast cancer) is not just a woman's cause. It affects us all.”
Contact the writer: 444-1272, kevin.cole@owh.com
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