As our cottonwoods and elms turn golden we all need to turn pink. . . at least every Wednesday in October. Once again the Rio Grande SUN has issued the pink challenge to local businesses.
The business community, as well as various other groups, have really gotten behind the push to raise awareness and funding to find a cure for breast cancer. It seems everyone has a friend or family member who has either suffered through breast cancer or had a serious scare. It hits home with a lot of us.
Our goal this year is to raise more money and have more businesses participate. It’s easy and doesn’t cost you anything, unless you don’t have a pink shirt, pants, skirt or dress. I have all four.
We have different categories according to business size, by employee count. The goal is to get as many employees to wear pink on Wednesday as possible. Our staff goes out and counts pink bodies and at the end of the month, the business in each category that had the most pink employees wins a quarter page ad with full color.
The competition running along side that one is to raise the most money in your business category. We distribute pink buckets and collect them at the end of the month. The business that raises the most money in their category also wins a free quarter page ad with full color.
This year we’re trying to add a component to the month of breast cancer awareness. We’re coordinating with El Centro Family Health to get the mobile mammogram van on Oct. 22 and 23. More details on that service will be in the Oct. 4 pink pages.
The United Way of Northern New Mexico Youth Team held another great fundraiser Sunday night at the Los Alamos airport. This group of young people from Los Alamos High School are deeply involved in their community and raise a lot of money for the Community Action Fund. That is the pool of money that funds all of the Rio Arriba County non-profits that apply to United Way annually.
Aside from dinner there was a static display of local airplanes and many people won plane rides in the raffle. A local orthodontist group inflated a hot air balloon and we were entertained by Chip Mielke on violin.
Volunteer Coordinator Marie Marroquin estimates the group cleared over $1,800 from Sunday’s dinner. Almost 60 percent of the money raised for the Community Action Fund goes to Rio Arriba County non-profits. We get back much more than what we contribute.
The Youth Team has several more events you can attend and support. The next is Atomic City’s Got Talent at the Duane Smith Auditorium in Los Alamos Sept. 30 at 7 p.m. Then put on your coat and tails or a formal and go to High Tea at Los Alamos High School Oct. 14 from 1 to 3 p.m.
My favorite (although I do love the airplane static display) is hamburger night at Hill Diner. Diane Lane goes all out and donates time, money, labor and her restaurant as the Youth Team serves customers and pushes items in a live auction, with auctioneer Jill Cook. Hamburger night is Oct. 29 starting at 5 p.m.
The annual campaign kicked off Sept. 12 and we’re looking to raise $1.5 million this year. That’s how much combined non-profits from Rio Arriba and Los Alamos counties asked for last year. We only had about $875,000 so many good groups were either turned down or their requests were drastically cut.
You can make a difference by donating at www.unitedwaynnm.org. If you’re donating through Los Alamos National Laboratory, please designate the Community Action Fund. All of your donation goes to the fund as does the Lab’s part of its matching contribution.
Also worthy of the community’s attention and funding is the Española Valley Humane Society’s 20th anniversary gala celebration. The theme is “hats off.” If you wear a hat, you’re up for a prize. In addition to the hats off theme, they’re on the cat walk this Saturday with a canine fashion show. Rescued dogs will be, “showcasing designer accessories for pets and their owner,” according to their website.
The fundraiser includes some fantastic silent auction items from a trip to New York City and tickets to the real fashion show there to a La Costa spa resort stay for two or perhaps an America’s Cup sailing experience out of San Diego is more your style.
As always the fund-raising arm of the Society’s board has come up with a great evening. From their website: cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and a distinctive dinner of seasonal cuisine. The evening’s menu includes passed appetizers of Crispy Baked Elk Ravioli with Tomato Marmalade and Stilton Cheese, Caramelized Pear Tartlets, a Pasta Bar of entrees cooked to order, Roast Prime Rib, Roasted Red Pepper Caesar Salad, and a platter of assorted bite-sized desserts.
Music is provided by Havana Son, who are known for their new and old style Cuban street music.
Tickets are $100 each or two for $190. It’s well worth it. Ten percent of the shelter’s entire budget comes from this evening’s fund-raising.
The event is at Bishops Lodge Saturday from 6 to 9 p.m. You can buy tickets online at http://www.evalleyshelter.org/2012/06/15/hats-off-an-evhs-gala. I’ll bet if you show up with a hat on your head and money in your hand, they’ll let you in too.