Team WHIP brings 11th annual wellness walk, male runway fashion show to Lanett
BY SAM VISE
THE LAFAYETTE SUN
LANETT — Local health advocacy nonprofit Team WHIP is bringing community wellness, cancer awareness and runway looks straight to the tarmac this October.
The organization will host A WHIP Affair: Community Health Fair & Walk on Sunday, Oct. 4, at the Lanett Regional Airport. Marking Team WHIP’s 11th walk, the day pairs a traditional community wellness walk with educational health screenings, food trucks and a male fashion show hosted directly on the airport’s runway strip.
Team WHIP, which stands for Working to Help Those in Pink, traces its roots to 2015 when an inaugural walk across Lanett and West Point, Georgia, drew roughly 260 participants. Recognizing a local need for dedicated support, organizers officially formed the nonprofit later that year. Since establishing partnerships with Auburn University’s Gene Machine in 2016 and Birmingham’s Forge Breast Cancer Survivor Center in 2021, the organization has provided patient financial assistance to individuals actively navigating breast cancer treatment.
While Team WHIP was founded to support those facing breast cancer, Founding Director Narfunda Ross said this year’s mission expands to address reproductive health as a whole — highlighting breast, ovarian, cervical and prostate cancers. A major goal for the 2026 event was finding engaging ways to bring men into wellness spaces they might otherwise overlook.
“We know men are affected by breast cancer as well due to their spouse, and also they have breast tissue,” Ross said. “After thinking about it, we thought we needed to incorporate anything that deals with the reproductive system to get men involved.”
To draw that crowd, organizers looked toward an unexpected venue and entertainment pairing: hosting an all-male runway fashion show right on the tarmac.
“The purpose for us having the event there was because we want to get our men involved in being intentional about their health,” Ross said. “Fashion shows are runways, correct? So, what better place to have it than on the runway?”
Beyond the fashion show, the gathering is designed as a family-friendly afternoon promoting holistic well-being. Attendees can take part in the wellness walk to encourage physical activity, visit vendor booths offering educational screenings and refreshments and connect with fellow survivors. Organizers are also working to coordinate a Touch-a-Plane experience, giving youth and families the chance to climb into the cockpit of a small-engine aircraft for photos.
Ross said the event welcomes everyone across the Chattahoochee Valley, regardless of their background, stage of life or diagnosis.
“Cancer does not choose you because of your color, it does not choose you because of your age nor does it choose you because of your gender,” Ross said.
Team WHIP is actively seeking a diverse roster of male models for the runway showcase, alongside additional health, food and beverage vendors. Prospective models, vendors and community sponsors can register online at teamwhip2015.com/2026walk or contact Ross directly at (334) 333-9405 for more details.
“Our survivors will have an opportunity to do a survivors’ stroll and come here to engage with others because no one walks alone,” Ross said. “At Team WHIP, that is our focus here. We are building wellness, bridging survivorship and wellness together. And you can’t do this alone; you can connect with someone who has been on this journey that can help you. Everybody goes through it differently, but emotional support — that is what we are here for as well.”
