Thousands of people are expected in Peoria this Saturday for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. Some of those participating are heading to the Northwoods Mall tonight.

Team packet pick up starts this afternoon.

News 25's Emily West sat down with the co-chairs of this year's Race for the Cure .

Taking care of their grandchildren is a fun break from what the Auers have been doing recently... preparing for Saturday's Race for the Cure.

Becky Auer says the race volunteers impress her every year.

"The volunteers are just unbelievable. Many of them have done this for years. This is where they gather and a lot of them are survivors."

Becky started volunteering at the Race for the Cure years ago.

"My sister died of breast cancer when she was 56. It leaves an indelible impression on your life. This is a way to do something positive."

So Becky and her husband Dave decided to take on the biggest volunteer challenge of all, co-chairing the 2008 Komen Peoria Race for the Cure. They set a lofty fundraising goal this year of one million dollars.

The duo knows it's an aggressive goal, but are seeing more people getting involved.

Dave Auer said, "Some people think I'm too old to go out and fight the big crowd. That doesn't mean they can't support the race."

Team registrations numbers and online contributions are up. If you want to make a donation to the race for the cure, you can go to komen Peoria dot org, click on Race for the Cure, and donate directly.

"If we get to that goal that's great. When you see those survivors walking with all those family and friends surrounding them, that's going to come as it always does an inspiration. That will be the success."

A success in Becky and Dave's minds because every step is one closer to the time when Breast Cancer won't affect loved ones in their lives.

"Her, our daughters, knowing that working together, we're going to make a difference. That's what it's all about."

Team packet pick up is at Northwoods Mall tonight from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m.

Then tomorrow from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. individual packet pickup for all events and you can register there too.

You can post your race and ride day photos past and present...then after this weekend on our WEEK-dot-com YouNews site.

If you do, you become eligible for out I-pod drawing.