Today, City of Springfield and Springfield Public Schools employees joined to recognize and support Breast Cancer Awareness Month with the city’s annual “Pink & Denim Day” fundraising event ahead of the Rays of Hope Walk Toward the Cure of Breast Cancer. On behalf of Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, Chief of Staff William Baker joined pink-clad employees, who gathered this morning with representatives from Rays of Hope, to present a proclamation declaring October “Breast Cancer Awareness Month” in the city and to present the city’s donations from our generous employees to the Rays of Hope foundation.
Rays of Hope founder Lucy Giuggio, and representatives Michelle Gracie, Kathy Tobin, Kate Weir, along with this year’s Rays of Hope Co-Chair John Maybury joined for the celebration as well as City Councilors Lavar Click-Bruce and Kateri Walsh, Schools Superintendent Dr. Sonia Dinnall, and dozens of city/school employees who came to show support. Together, our Springfield city/school employees collectively raised over $5000 this year for the Rays of Hope foundation.
To date, Rays of Hope has raised over $17 million helping individuals in the fight against breast cancer by walking alongside them on their cancer journey. Through the Baystate Health Breast Network, Rays of Hope cares for the whole person from diagnosis and beyond by supporting research at the Rays of Hope Center for Breast Cancer Research, providing funding for state-of-the-art equipment, breast health programs and outreach and education throughout Baystate Health, support to patients and survivors, as well as providing grants for complementary therapies and cancer programs to our community partners throughout western Massachusetts.
This year marks the 31st anniversary of the Rays of Hope and their mission to help find a cure for breast cancer and support those fighting against it. To mark this historic significance, Mayor Sarno has put out a call once again to local businesses and the community asking to help light up the City of Springfield pink during the month of October for breast cancer awareness. The Campanile Clock Tower at City Hall, and Union Station and the parking garage will light up pink during the month of October. Many local organizations have answered the call and have joined in lighting up pink including MGM Springfield, Springfield Technical Community College, Monarch Enterprises, First Resource Companies, the Basketball Hall of Fame, our Springfield Thunderbirds, the MassMutual Center. The Colvest Group, Tower Square, and the Springfield Business Improvement District.
Mayor Sarno states, “Since taking office in 2008, my administration, through the generosity of our employees have raised tens of thousands of dollars to proudly support and stand in solidarity with the Rays of Hope and the many individuals and families they support. Thank you to our city/school employees for your generosity and strong support of this important cause. We all have family, friends and loved ones who have battled this challenge, but thanks to the continued support and dedicated efforts from the Rays of Hope team, they do not have to face this challenge alone. This year marks the 31st Anniversary for Rays of Hope. To celebrate this joyous occasion, we are respectfully asking all of our local businesses and residents to help ‘Light Up Springfield Pink for Breast Cancer Awareness during the month of October. Please join with us as we continue to help support this great cause and organization and I look forward to seeing everyone at the Walk for a Cure this Sunday.”
Learn more and register for the walk/run: https://www.baystatehealth.org/events/rays-of-hope
