Des Moines, Iowa-based Kum & Go has raised more than $27,000 for the Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF) during a recent fundraising push. Brenda Heeren, general manager of the Kum & Go store that raised the most donations, and Al Schwarz, district manager, earned the opportunity to deliver the check to Armstrong while he was in Iowa.

Armstrong was in Cedar Rapids for the Livestrong Presidential Cancer Forum earlier this week to discuss the battle against cancer. According to the LAF Web site, the estimated number of new cancer cases in Iowa for 2006 was 16,310. The efforts by LAF have reached several Iowa organizations receiving grant money for cancer prevention, research and control efforts including the Iowa Department of Public Health, Gilda’s Club in the Quad Cities, Iowa State University. Armstrong was riding in RAGBRAI to raise awareness of the needs of people living with cancer.

“It was a great feeling to personally show Lance the generosity of Kum & Go customers throughout Iowa,” said Heeren, who lost a son to cancer earlier this year. “We’re always doing what we can to give back to the community. It’s very rewarding to see all the Kum & Go stores in Iowa pull together and get their customers involved.”

Heeren manages the Kum & Go in Sioux City. Kum & Go encouraged customers to donate $1, $5 or $10 and in return had customers sign their names on Livestrong Iowa paper bands, which were linked together to create a chain of support for cancer research.