Pink Trees for Pauline turns 10
GRAAFF REINET - October is breast cancer awareness month, and it is time for everyone to get involved by showing their support for the Pink Trees for
Pauline project. The unique Pink Trees for Pauline project is commemorating its 10th anniversary this month and its aim is to exceed the amount raised in the first year.
On Friday 7 October Graaff-Reinet Advertiser’s newly appointed journalist, Bradley Rawlinson, and long-serving receptionist, Sylvia Zenani, had the honour of wrapping a tree in pink with Carol-Ann van Jaarsveld, founder of this unique project. Van Jaarsveld first launched Pink Trees for Pauline in 2012 to raise awareness around cancer and to support and promote quality of life of cancer sufferers and survivors.
The idea was inspired by her mother and grandmother, both Pauline, who lost the battle against cancer.
In the first year, Pink Trees for Pauline sold 4 000 meters of pink cloth and managed to raise R210 000 for the Graaff-Reinet Cancer Association. Some businesses even paid up to R10 000 per meter! The following year they challenged a few other towns to participate in the Pink Trees for Pauline project. Adri Jansen van Nieuwenhuizen from George not only accepted the challenge but also undertook to involve as many towns as possible. In October of that year, 53 towns participated.
For the past 10 years, trees are still wrapped in pink every October and the Graaff-Reinet Cancer Association still receives about
R50 000 annually to assist an average of
500 cancer patients. More than 150 towns are participating in the Pink Trees for
Pauline project and Cansa is also involved in the cities.
"This year we are not only selling pink cloth (R30 per meter) but also T-shirts (R120), lipstick (R170), earrings (R50 and R109) and a Pink Trees for Pauline rosé wine (R95),” says Carol-Ann. These items are available at Hello You restaurant on Somerset Street.
“Cancer is so prevalent in our community that it is not a stretch of the imagination to say that everyone of us either is, knows, or is connected to, our own Pauline, and for this reason, it is so important to support this fundraising initiative,” she concluded.