This week, Ohio University will bleed not green, but pink, as University Program Council holds a series of events to raise money for breast cancer research.
This is the first year UPC has held a “Pink Week” to raise money early before the organization’s annual fundraising push in the spring, which is spearheaded by the Mom’s Walk for the Cure.
“I believe that ‘Pink Week’ is one of the best ideas the University Events Chairs have come up with,” UPC President Jennifer Jones said in an email. “It is so exciting to see the board members plan and implement events that go for such a good cause.”
Although Pink Week is new, this will be UPC’s 12th year holding the Walk for the Cure event. Last year, Spring Quarter fundraising events raised about $13,000, said Emma Clark, UPC university events executive.
The proceeds from Pink Week, as well as the spring fundraising events, will be donated to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation.
This year, UPC also will take part in the Susan G. Komen Foundation’s Passionately Pink for the Cure program, which allows people raising money for breast cancer research to track their progress online and invite further donations from alumni and family members.
Pink Week offers an event each day. On Monday, everyone who presented a UPC flier to waiters at Buffalo Wild Wings after 5 p.m. had 10 percent of their bills donated to Pink Week funds. Yesterday, UPC held a date auction in The Front Room that raised $172, Clark said.
“I thought I’d be happy to even get $200 from this week, and we made $172 in just one night,” she said.
Today, UPC members will offer aqua and calf massages for donations from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the first floor of Baker.
Thursday, anyone who buys a sandwich at Brenen’s and presents a fundraising flyer from the UPC office in Baker 363 will have $1 donated.
Friday, there will be a bake sale from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. on the fourth floor of Baker. The sale will offer both baked goods and small pink items, Clark said.
The week’s events will end at 7 p.m. Saturday with a game between OU’s women’s volleyball team and Miami. UPC will raffle off tickets for the Oct. 13 Mike Posner concert and volleyballs signed by the OU volleyball team at the event.
This cause is especially important to many UPC members, Clark said.
“Some of the (UPC) board members’ family members have fought against this and won against breast cancer, and some have not won,” Clark said.
“Supporting this is something we pride ourselves in. We love it.”
rm279109@ohiou.edu
