“Pink Power Flamingos” taking over Pahrump
Awareness is power and as a nonprofit dedicated to empowering women and girls, Soroptimist International Pahrump Valley (SIPV) understands the importance of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
A worldwide observance that takes place from October 1 to October 31 each year, Breast Cancer Awareness Month is aimed at increasing awareness, emphasizing the important of early detection and supporting people who have been affected, either as a patient or the loved ones of a person diagnosed. According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, this is the most common cancer in American women, with the exception of skin cancer. One in eight women are projected to be diagnosed with the disease in their lifetime, the foundation reports, while over 382,000 are expected to be diagnosed this year alone.
Awareness is a key tool in the fight against breast cancer, so this month, SIPV is taking one of its regular programs and giving it a twist in honor of the global awareness effort.
“During October, Soroptimist International Pahrump Valley is hosting special ‘flockings’ in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month,” SIPV member and “head flock-keeper” Elaine Cassell told the Pahrump Valley Times. “Each flocking will include special pink awareness ribbons and some of our flock will be wearing cute fabric bandanas.”
The flocking program is a year-round effort of SIPV, giving residents, businesses and organizations the opportunity to surprise or honor someone by scheduling a delivery of bright pink flamingos. The flock arrives to each home, business or office not by wing but by the hands of SIPV members themselves, who will descend on the selected location and deck it out in their decorative flamingo figures. The flock then remains in place for three to four days before moving along to the next location.
For the entire month of October, the flockings will be Breast Cancer Awareness-themed and the very first of what SIPV is calling the “Pink Power Flamingos” made their landing as the month opened on Thursday, October 1.
“We started our special flockings with Kim Wanker’s home, since she is a member and she is battling breast cancer,” Cassell explained.
Aside from providing a visual representation of the message behind Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the “Pink Power Flamingos” are also serving a secondary purpose – raising funds to support Hope Cancer Care of Nevada. This organization offers local residents a place to receive various cancer treatments and services right here in the Pahrump Valley and SIPV will be donating 50% of all proceeds from October flockings to the center.
The “Pink Power Flamingos” aren’t the only way SIPV is marking Breast Cancer Awareness Month, either.
Cassell said the club also donated to the Pahrump Moose Lodge’s Blessing Bags program, which organizes bags stuffed with all kinds of comfort and personal care items, adult activity books and notes of encouragement. Those Blessing Bags were then donated to Pahrump’s Hope Cancer Care of Nevada for its patients. In addition, the club purchased pink-ribbon socks for the Pahrump Valley High School Girls Golf and Girls Volleyball teams to wear during the school’s “Pink Games”, as well as donating gift baskets to support fundraising efforts at those games.
It’s all in an effort to honor those who have been impacted by breast cancer, share hope and inspire the community to come together in support of this annual awareness initiative.
A flock delivery can be arranged for a $40 donation. To schedule a delivery, contact Cassell at 775-340-4334 or email SoroptimistPV@gmail.com
For more on SIPV, visit SoroptimistPV.com
Contact reporter Robin Hebrock at rhebrock@pvtimes.com
