Randy Severe, Herb Bitting, Tia Gentner and mastectomy fitter trainee Lisa Hummell gather at St. Anthony Hospital to discuss the Pendleton Round-Up's successful Tough Enough to Wear Pink campaign which raised $22,598 in 2009 to help local breast cancer patients.
Round-Up donates earnings from the 2009 rodeo
PENDLETON — The sea of pink that streamed into the Round-Up Grounds on Sept. 17, 2009 has enriched the coffers of two local groups helping those battling breast cancer. The Spirit Program of the Cancer Community Renewal Project and St. Anthony Hospital received donations of $11,299 dollars each thanks to fundraising at the rodeo. This year’s donations are $1,300 a year more than the groups received in 2008.
Tia Gentner, respiratory therapy manager and certified mastectomy fitter for the hospital said the money will be put to good use.
“It goes to help breast cancer patients with traveling expenses to go to St. Mary Medical Center in Walla Walla for treatments because we can’t do that here,” she said. “It also goes to help them with their monthly expenses, mastectomy products, swim suits and prosthetics.”
Herb Bitting, a board of directors member for the Cancer Community Renewal Project was pleased with that group’s windfall.
“It goes into our Spirit Program, which provides exercise, massage and yoga programs for breast cancer survivors,” he said.
Bitting admitted that he used to seldom wear pink himself, but now finds it a frequent part of his wardrobe. Round-Up President Randy Severe agreed, saying he wouldn’t have believed the pastel color would become one of Round-Up’s symbols.
“I’d of said it looks great on the ladies 10 years ago,” he said with a smile. “I think it’s a nice statement. It’s a good feeling to be a little part of the fight against breast cancer.”
The money is raised by the sale of pink items at two booths on the Round-Up Grounds. Also, Severe said sponsors make donations. For example Justin Boots raffled off pink boots.
“It’s a way for the macho cowboys to give back to the ladies, and it’s an honor for us to do it,” Severe said of the fundraising event that is popular at hundreds of rodeos throughout the country. TETWP began in 2004 at the National Finals Rodeo, the brainchild of Terry Wheatley, herself a breast cancer survivor. It has raised more than $5 million to help in the battle against breast cancer.
With the 100th anniversary of Round-Up set for this year, both Bitting and Gentner are excited about this year’s fundraising effort. There will be four booths set up to handle demands for pink items. They are also planning to dramatize just how many years are in a centennial. That many breast cancer survivors will be on hand Sept. 16 for the rodeo.
“There will be 100 survivors out there because they want to give back to the Round-Up,” Bitting said. “This year is going to be a fantastic year.”
