PRESS RELEASE
OCTOBER 1-15 IS DRESS THE TOWN PINK FOR BREAST CANCER AWARENESS
For over 20 years, every October the Friends Abreast Dragon Boat Team have handed out Pink Carnations to ladies in the area to raise Breast Cancer Awareness, and to remind them to book their mammograms. This year, because of a generous donation from the Salmon Arm Legion, we are taking that campaign to a new level with DRESS THE TOWN PINK campaign, running October 1-15.
We are encouraging all downtown merchants to "DRESS" their windows and/or businesses with a PINK display during that 2 week period. We will also be hanging large PINK "Noodle" ribbons on the lamp standards on Alexander Street and decorating the gazebo under the Treble Clef in PINK.
Also, as part of the Dress the Town Pink campaign, several businesses in the downtown core will have long pink ribbons available for a minimum $2 donation. Buyers can then write the name of a friend or loved one who has been affected by Cancer on the ribbon and tie the ribbon to the Salmon Arm Wharf. We hope to have PINK RIBBONS tied all the way down the wharf. All proceeds from the sale of these ribbons will go directly to the Shuswap Hospital Foundation's current fundraising campaign for "Wireless Breast Cancer Detection Technology Equipment".
And to make things even more fun and to involve more community members, we are declaring Saturday, October 5 as WEAR PINK DAY in Salmon Arm. Our team will be at the Downtown Farmers Market that day, dressed in Pink and handing out Free Pink Carnations with the Mammogram Reminder Tags. And we are hoping the Market Vendors will join us in our Wear Pink Day!
For more information contact us by email at friendsabreast.com
Thank you for helping us have a successful DRESS THE TOWN PINK campaign!
Here is an update on our 2024 Dress the Town Pink Campaign. We raised $1317.00 which was donated to the Shuswap Hospital Mammography Unit. Also, the Anvil Coffee shop in Salmon Arm raised $51.00 for our campaign which also went to the Mammography Unit. Thank you to all the Downtown Businesses who dressed up their storefronts and supported our cause. We also want to thank the Salmon Arm community at large for their financial support in buying our pink ribbons. We were absolutely thrilled with the outcome and look forward to our 2025 Breast Cancer campaign.
In closing, you can read about the Wireless Breast Cancer Localization Technology equipment our team raised the money for at www.shuswaphospitalfoundation.org
To book a mammogram call 1-800-663-9203 or
Shuswap Mammography Unit 1-250-833-3607 in Salmon Arm BC
Our dragon boat team gave out carnations along with a breast cancer prevention message to ladies at Picadilly Mall, and Uptown Askews. We handed out 300 pink carnations that were graciously donated by Save On Foods Salmon Arm. Our team also promoted the newly opened Mammogram Unit at the Shuswap Lake Hospital. Women will no longer need to drive to other Mammogram centers in the Okanagon to get their mammograms. The state of the art machine was up and running on October 1, 2023 with their grand opening on October 4, 2023. To book your next mammogram, you can call the 1-800-663-9203 and mention you want it in Salmon Arm. The direct Salmon Arm Mammography Unit phone number is 1-250-833-3607.
The purpose of Shuswap Dragon Boat Society is:
Friends Abreast achieves these goals through many activities. Our boat proudly wears the pink ribbon, advertising to all that we are a Breast Cancer Dragon Boat team. We participate in festivals, including the carnation ceremonies that take place to honour those who have battled this disease.
Besides dragon boating, we have participated in various walks and runs to support other charitable causes in our area. We believe that our activity and our visibility are a positive message to the larger community. As well, we have financially supported many students in post-secondary education through scholarships for students who have had a close family member that has battled breast cancer.
We realize that early detection saves lives, and so encourage mammograms. To promote this, we typically hand out carnations during October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Each flower includes a card with information on how to book a mammogram. We have also donated bookmarks printed with the same information to local bookstores and the library. In past years, we have entered a float in the Fall Fair Parade and handed out this information that way.
Also, we want to recognize the following former members who have passed on.
Linda Barrett - founding member
Kate Froment - founding member
Barb Howard - founding member and breast cancer victim
Betty Miege - founding member
Shirley Kiegerl - breast cancer victim
Maria McCallum - breast cancer survivor and team supporter
Nel Peach - breast cancer survivor, team member, supporter
Maureen Sim - breast cancer victim
Val Soper - breast cancer victim
Pat Eveleigh - member
Audrey Szafranski - breast cancer survivor and founding member
Marilyn Follack - founding member, paddler, breast cancer victim
Joan Davies - founding member