Bra to bar
Who says you can't have a good time and help a good cause in the same night?
Certainly not those signing up for seats on two school buses for this year's sixth Pink Lemonade Pink Bra Tour slated for Oct. 22.
The buses with a combined 112 seats will visit a number of bars with proceeds from the night's tour benefiting the Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition, according to Alexis Dumbaugh, the event's founder.
Participants are encouraged to wear decorated pink bras, over their outer clothing.
Dumbaugh said there will be 6:30 p.m. registration Oct. 22 at the Belmont II, 201 Bon Aire Plaza.
The buses will leave at 7:45 p.m., visiting the Monroe Hotel, Crossbow Lounge and Rock Ann Haven before returning to the Belmont II about 1 a.m.
Dumbaugh said, “I talk to the owners. They make their own special drinks and specials. For instance, for every pink shot sold, we get a dollar.”
Dumbaugh said, “This year we will have a shotski. It's a water ski painted pink and black and adapted to hold shot glasses.”
Last year, she said Pink Lemonade donated $7,000 to the Susan G. Komen Pittsburgh affiliate, but money raised this year will go to the Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition.
“I'm giving it to a different charity this year. It's more local and less controversial,” said Dumbaugh.
The coalition was formed in 1993 by a group of breast cancer survivors with the mission to find a cure for breast cancer.
It's a statewide organization based in Lebanon, Lebanon County, with a board of directors, a staff of eight and a network of volunteers across the state.
“Every year, hundreds of people have fun while raising awareness about breast cancer and supporting the PBCC. We are able to continue to serve women and their families battling breast cancer across the state because of fundraisers like these,” said Kristen Snoke, community outreach director for the coalition.
Pink Lemonade, itself, started in 2008 with a scrapbooking event.
Dumbaugh said she would like to develop it into a bigger organization by having Pink Lemonade become its own nonprofit organization to better help the county.
“We want to become a 501c(3), so I can donate to whoever I want to,” said Dumbaugh.
Dumbaugh has been a volunteer fundraiser since she read a magazine article about the Race for the Cure, which is staged each Mother's Day.
Dumbaugh got the idea for the Pink Bra Tour from a Florida team that held a similar event.
Here, the Pink Bra Tour is so popular there was a waiting list of women who wanted a seat on the two school buses.
To register, or for more information call Alexis Dumbaugh at 412-614-0502 or visit www.PinkLemonadeFreshlySqueezed.com.
