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Patrick Dempsey visits an old friend, Neil Bement, at a water station Saturday morning on Main Street in Auburn. Bement was cheering on walkers and runners during the Dempsey Challenge. Bement has been an outspoken supporter of Dempsey and the Dempsey Center in Lewiston that helped him beat cancer. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal
Walkers of all ages participate Saturday in the annual Lewiston-Auburn area Dempsey Challenge. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal
Runners participate Saturday in the annual Lewiston-Auburn area Dempsey Challenge. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal
Women representing Colby College lacrosse lead a pack of runners Saturday in the annual Lewiston-Auburn area Dempsey Challenge. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal
Runners participate Saturday in the annual Lewiston-Auburn area Dempsey Challenge. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal
Participants in Saturday’s 5K run/walk make their way down Lincoln Street in Lewiston on Saturday morning during the Dempsey Challenge. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal
Two-time cancer survivor Lorraine Zuma talks with Patrick Dempsey in Simard Payne Memorial Park during Saturday’s Dempsey Challenge. She came with her daughter from New York to attend the event. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal
The University of New England team cheers on a runner Saturday as he heads to the finish line of the 10K run during the Dempsey Challenge at Simard Payne Memorial Park in Lewiston. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal
Participants in Saturday’s 5K run/walk make their way down Lincoln Street in Lewiston on Saturday morning during the Dempsey Challenge. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal
Participants in Saturday’s 5K run/walk make their way down Lincoln Street in Lewiston on Saturday morning during the Dempsey Challenge. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal
Participants in Saturday’s 5K run/walk make their way down Lincoln Street in Lewiston on Saturday morning during the Dempsey Challenge. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal
Jessica Gleason and her daughter Josie, of Skowhegan join other participants in Saturday’s 5K run/walk as they make their way down Lincoln Street in Lewiston on Saturdayduring the Dempsey Challenge. Gleason came to honor family members who have died from cancer and others who are battling it. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal
Participants in Saturday’s 5K run/walk make their way down Lincoln Street in Lewiston during the Dempsey Challenge. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal
A group representing Bowdoin College basketball participates Saturday in the annual Lewiston-Auburn area Dempsey Challenge. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal
An aerial view of the Demsey Challenge. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal
Participants in Saturday’s 5K run/walk make their way down Lincoln Street in Lewiston during the Dempsey Challenge. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal
Participants in Saturday’s 5K run/walk make their way down Lincoln Street in Lewiston during the Dempsey Challenge. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal
Participants in Saturday’s 5K run/walk make their way down Lincoln Street in Lewiston during the Dempsey Challenge. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal
Participants in Saturday’s 5K run/walk make their way down Lincoln Street in Lewiston during the Dempsey Challenge. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal
Participants in Saturday’s 5K run/walk make their way down Lincoln Street in Lewiston during the Dempsey Challenge. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal
An aerial view shows a portion of the course Saturday and the staging area for the annual Dempsey Challenge. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal
Chris Whitney of Lisbon takes a selfie Saturday with his fiance, Katherine Lemieux, and Patrick Dempsey in Simard Payne Memorial Park during the Dempsey Challenge. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal
Girls from the University of New England cheer Saturday as Patrick Dempsey walks toward Simard Payne Memorial Park in Lewiston for the annual Dempsey Challenge. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal
Girls from the University of New England pose for a photo Saturday with Patrick Dempsey at the finish line of the Dempsey Challenge. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal
U.S. Sen. Angus King, left, and Patrick Dempsey, second from left, walk across the pedestrian bridge between Auburn and Lewiston on Saturday morning as they walk part of the course for the Dempsey Challenge. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal
U.S. Sen. Angus King, left, and Patrick Dempsey, second from left, walk across the pedestrian bridge between Auburn and Lewiston on Saturday morning as they walk part of the course for the annual Dempsey Challenge. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal
Actor Patrick Dempsey, second from left, cheers on a runner along the Riverwalk in Auburn on Saturday during the Dempsey Challenge. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal
An aerial view shows a portion of the annual Dempsey Challenge course. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal
An aerial view of Simard Payne Memorial Park in Lewiston shows some staging and the course for Saturday morning’s Dempsey Challenge. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal
U.S. Sen. Angus King, left, and Patrick Dempsey walk along the course Saturday during the annual Dempsey Challenge. Between them in the background is Dempsey’s sister, Mary. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal
Nina Garrett, left, tags her friends with a cutout of Patrick Dempsey as they walk down Lincoln Street in Lewiston during Saturday’s 5K run/walk portion of the Dempsey Challenge. Beth Gerow, front left, and Garrett Nisbet, front right, were part of a Portland group, Orange Dragons Against Cancer, who are taking part in the event for the 14th time. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal
Members of the Blais Flowers team participate Saturday in the Dempsey Challenge. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal
Two people representing Blais Flowers take a quick break from walking along Lincoln Street in Lewiston on Saturday as they take part in the annual Dempsey Challenge. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

A lifelong resident of Lewiston, Russ stumbled into photography as a college student working toward a career in psychology. His great-grandfather Louis B. Costello was the publisher of the Lewiston Daily...

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