The Pendleton Round-Up’s Tough Enough To Wear Pink (TETWP) may not have been able to take place in 2020, but that didn’t prevent the campaign from raising $11,000 for its causes.
On Tuesday, the TETWP campaign donated more than $11,000 to two local cancer support organizations.
The Round-Up Association’s TETWP split $11,000 raised in 2020 between the St. Anthony Hospital Cancer Care Clinic and the Kickin’ Cancer New Beginnings program. While contributions usually come from generous sponsors, donations, fund-raising events, and merchandise sales, not having the 2020 Pendleton Round-Up meant no TETWP event. Instead, this year’s contributions came from two primary sources – the Let’er Buck Cares Fund and Oregon Grain Growers Brand Distillery (OGGB).
The Let’er Buck Cares Fund, which has raised more than $900,000 since June, was established by the Pendleton Round-Up and Happy Canyon Boards of Directors through the Oregon Community Foundation to provide support to the community’s not-for-profits, service organizations, community groups and the local economy, all of which were immensely impacted by the lack of the Pendleton Round-Up in 2020 due to COVID-19. The Let’er Buck Cares Fund donated $10,000 to TETWP in October in an effort to allow TETWP to continue to support its two benefactor organizations despite COVID-19.
In addition, OGGB, a distillery in Pendleton, held a fundraiser during what would have been TETWP day in September by donating a portion of proceeds from the day’s sales. OGGB raised and donated $800 to TETWP from the fundraiser.
“It was devastating not being able to have TETWP in 2020,” said Casey White-Zollman, co-chair of the Round-Up’s TETWP campaign. “That’s why we’re so appreciative of Let’er Buck Cares, OGGB and all of the community members who have continued to support others, including TETWP and breast cancer awareness, despite the challenging circumstances we’ve faced this year.”
TETWP not only raises breast cancer awareness to the thousands of visitors who come to the Round-Up each year, but 100 percent of the proceeds stay within the Pendleton community. The two organizations benefiting from the TETWP campaign help local breast cancer patients from time of diagnosis through recovery. 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 & gloves, mastectomy swimwear, wigs, financial help and mileage reimbursement for cancer patients.
Though 2020 was originally to be TETWP’s 15th anniversary, the celebration of 15 years of TETWP will instead take place in 2021 with an even bigger campaign and event. The Pendleton Round-Up will support this celebration in numerous ways, starting with the annual bumper stickers with the 2021 Pendleton Round-Up and Happy Canyon dates on them in bright pink. Get yours for free at the Pendleton Round-Up & Happy Canyon Retail Store while supplies last.
Anyone interested in serving as a 2021 TETWP sponsor, or who would like to donate or volunteer, can contact event co-chairs Casey White-Zollman, cmwzollman@gmail.com, or Jill Gregg, jill.c.gregg@gmail.com.
