GOING PINK
Campaign raises funds for American Cancer Society
For the second straight year, CDTA will host a Real Men Wear Pink campaign — but this year’s event will be a bit different.
On Wednesday, a CDTA bus painted pink arrived at Saratoga Race Course for the launch party. This year, 26 local leaders will participate in raising money for the American Cancer Society until the end of October.
Ten men competed a year ago, but three men who competed last year teamed up to help strengthen the pool of candidates this year.
“Last year was more of a competitive effort, and this year it’s very collaborative,” said Jason Winters, of the American Cancer Society. “Really it’s about being the best region in the nation for the Real Men Wear Pink campaign for the American Cancer Society.”
The goal is for each person to raise $2,500; for the region, the goal is $50,000.
“It’s the cause. You look around and we all have moms, grandmas, wives, girlfriends, sisters and aunts who have been affected by this terrible, terrible disease. This is a great way for the community to help, for the community to get excited, for the community to get involved,” said CEO of CDTA Carm Basile. “But mostly, what I’m impressed with is the awareness level
that keeps going up. It’s about raising money, but it’s more importantly about getting people to understand who’s affected, who’s impacted and how they can help to find a cure.”
Basile is one of the participants.
“It’s 26 great people. It’s 26 community leaders. It’s ... in most cases, guys like me, chief executives who have a day job but take time out of their day, take time out of their busy schedules and they will be at every one of these events,” said Basile. “They’re just great people, so it’s camaraderie and friendship that evolves as well.”
Breast cancer doesn’t just impact women. Thousands of men are diagnosed with the disease in the United States every year. The purpose of the campaign is to raise money, of course, but it’s also to raise awareness, which is why people in the Capital Region can spot a pink CDTA bus until the end of October.
“Primarily in the Albany area,” said Jaime Watson, of CDTA. “But we’re going to try to put it on as many routes as possible and get as much as exposure as possible.”
The pink bus features a Real Men Wear Pink logo, a logo demonstrating CTDA won a 2017 best mid-size public transportation system in North America award, and an American Cancer Society logo.