This is the third year that The Pink Ladies, five women from the Wittenberg and Birnamwood area, have held “Pretty in Pink: Nights of Art & Awareness” as a fundraiser during Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October.
“Everyone is affected by cancer,” said Laura Hunt, one of The Pink Ladies.
Hunt, Tammy Antone, Tarrie Beran, Chanda Kersten and Elaine Knab three years ago decided they wanted to do something to raise money to help people dealing with the disease. None of them has cancer, but they all know family or fiends who have dealt with the disease.
“We all know someone who has had breast cancer,” Hunt said.
A little research brought up the idea of people decorating bras. Early in 2013 they decided to go ahead with the event to raise money.
“We didn’t know if anyone would show up or even make a bra,” Hunt said.
People responded in a big way, making bras and showing up at the event, which netted $10,000 the first year. The 50 bras were all different, with exquisite details.
“It’s amazing what the community did,” Hunt said.
The second year again brought doubts.
“Is anyone going to do it again,” Hunt said they wondered.
They raised even more money — $12,000.
“It made me so proud of living in a small town,” Hunt said.
All the money is donated to the Marshfield Clinic Patient Care Cancer Fund — Wausau/Weston Center, which helps families who are getting treatment for cancer of any kind.
This year’s show opens from 5-8 p.m. Oct. 23 with a free public showing at the WOWSpace, 114 Vinal St., Wittenberg.
“The bras will be hung and people can bid on them,” Hunt said.
From 7-10 p.m. Oct. 24, it is ladies only, with champagne, food, music and raffles. Tickets are $50, with a limit of 100.
“It’s a really fun girls night out,” Hunt said. “We sell out every year.”
It’s meaningful for all the women. Hunt’s grandmother survived breast cancer, and her father died of gall bladder cancer in 2012, just before Pretty in Pink began.
“It touches everyone’s lives now,” Hunt said.
She said they have received so much support because people want to honor and recognize their loved ones who are getting treatment, have survived the disease or have died from it.
Again this year the Wittenberg-Birnamwood High School art class will be making bras for the event.
“It really is an art show,” Hunt said. “A spectacular show of talent and creativity.”
Bras can be submitted before the event but must be there by Oct. 16 to be judged.
For tickets for the Oct. 24 event, call Kersten at 715-581-1845.
For information, visit wallsofwittenberg.com/community-events.
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