Are you Tough Enough To Wear Pink? The Pendleton Round-Up has been for 13 years now, and will once again participate in the national Tough Enough To Wear Pink campaign, an initiative to raise awareness and funds for programs that support breast cancer patients and survivors in the local community.
The Round-Up has designated Thursday, Sept. 13, as Tough Enough To Wear Pink (TETWP) day at the rodeo, and encourages rodeo participants and visitors to wear pink to show their support.
This high profile event not only raises awareness of breast cancer to the thousands of visitors who come to Round-Up, but 100 percent of the proceeds stay right here in our community. The 12th anniversary 2017 event raised more than $18,000 for local programs. The 2018 proceeds will be divided between the St. Anthony Cancer Care Clinic and the Kick’n Cancer New Beginnings program. These two organizations help local breast cancer patients from time of diagnosis through recovery from the cancer experience. The Kick’n Cancer program provides free massage, personal training and Pilates classes for recovering patients, while the St. Anthony Cancer Care Clinic provides breast prosthetics, mastectomy bras, post-op camisoles, lymphedema sleeves, pads and gloves, mastectomy swimwear, wigs, financial help and mileage reimbursement for cancer patients.
“We encourage everyone to show their support by wearing pink so that we have a ‘pink-out’ in the stands and around the grounds,” said Casey White-Zollman, co-chair of the Round-Up’s TETWP campaign. “It means so much to cancer survivors to see this kind of support from the community, and we’re so thankful the Round-Up has continued this campaign for 13 years.”
This year’s event at the Round-Up will feature an arena presentation that will pay tribute to survivors with a special video presentation on the arena’s big screen. Local cancer survivors will take to the field in a special presentation following the first Indian Relay Race. The Round-Up Court and Happy Canyon princesses will also participate in the special presentation.
Round-Up visitors will receive free pink Mardi Gras beads upon entering the grounds Thursday. TETWP volunteers will have booths set up near each gate with plenty of pink gear for sale, as well as raffle tickets for a pair of custom pink ostrich leather boots, donated by Justin Boots. In addition, Montana Silversmiths has donated beautiful silver jewelry that also will be raffled off. Tickets are $5 each or three for $12, and can be purchased at the Round-Up and Happy Canyon gift shop through Wednesday, and then at the TETWP booths at the Round-Up grounds on Thursday. Pins that showcase the TETWP “roping a cure” logo are also available for purchase.
This year, the TETWP campaign will partner with Justin Boots and the Round-Up & Happy Canyon Hall of Fame for a fundraiser following slack on Tuesday in the Section DD Saloon in the east end of the Round-Up Grounds. The “Justin Boots Presents: Slack After Party” proceeds will be shared between TETWP and the Hall of Fame. Popular Northwest band Sunday Saloon will perform, and drinks will be available for purchase. TETWP will also have raffle tickets for the pink Justin boots and Montana Silversmiths jewelry on sale. The event begins immediately after slack on Tuesday, Sept. 11 – around 4 p.m. – and end at 6:30 p.m., just in time for folks to head to Tuesday evening’s PBR event in the Happy Canyon Arena.
