May 2, 2008

Get ready to paint the town purple

City to proclaim May 1 ‘Paint our Town Purple Day’

The city of San Jose will be awash in purple on May 1, thanks to volunteers from the American Cancer Society’s annual Relay For Life, a community event against cancer.

In fact, Mayor Chuck Reed and Councilmembers Nancy Pyle, Forrest Williams and Pierluigi Oliverio will proclaim the date “Paint our Town Purple Day” as part of a special proclamation. There will be Relays For Life in Willow Glen, Almaden and Blossom Valley this year.

Throughout California, towns, schools and businesses will “paint our town purple” to celebrate cancer survivorship and bring attention to the yearly event, which in Willow Glen on May 17-18 at the high school. “It’s a fun, 24-hour, community-based event where teams of family, friends and co-workers camp out overnight and take turns walking laps around the track for those touched by cancer,” said Mary Keenan, event chair.

So far this year, 48 teams with 454 participants have raised $42,099 for Relay. Last year, more than 40 teams, 100 survivors and 600 participants raised $180,000-plus. This year the group hopes to raise even more and it’s well on its way.

“We’re mobilizing the community with the power of purple bringing good news to cancer survivors,” said Keenan. “Paint Our Town Purple Day is a time to celebrate the lives of cancer survivors, and to have some fun with the color purple to bring attention to the American Cancer Society’s many programs and services in our community.”

Former and current cancer patients, those who have lost a loved one to cancer, families, businesses, civic organizations, and the public are invited to take part in this exciting team event. It is a family-oriented event where participants enjoy the camaraderie of a team and also raise funds to help eliminate cancer. Participants camp out at the Relay site, and when they are not taking their turn walking, they take part in fun activities and enjoy local entertainment. The event helps communities celebrate those who have faced cancer, remember loved ones lost and fight back against the disease.

Teams from companies, churches, organizations, hospitals, and schools collect donations and can win individual and team prizes for their efforts. “Relay For Life brings the progress against cancer to the forefront,” said Keenan. “Many participants are our family, friends, and neighbors who have dealt with cancer themselves. Their involvement is proof of the progress that has been not only reducing death rates, but also in the quality of life following cancer treatment.”

The American Cancer Society is dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by saving lives, diminishing suffering and preventing cancer through research, education, advocacy and service. Founded in 1913 and with national headquarters in Atlanta, the Society has 13 regional Divisions and local offices in 3,400 communities, involving millions of volunteers across the United States. For more information, call 1-800-ACS-2345 or visit www.cancer.org.

The American Cancer Society invites everyone to join the fun, simply by logging onto the Web site www.paintourtownpurple.org to find ideas on how to “Paint Our Town Purple” at a school, town, college or workplace. The Web site encourages participants to spread hope in their community. Whether you are a homeowner, a restaurateur, or a retail business operator/owner, there are plenty of ideas for painting our town purple on May 1:

- Decorate your home or store windows with a purple display.

- Display a purple yard sign in your front yard.

- Decorate your front entrance, your fence, or your door with purple balloons.

- Paint your porch light purple or insert a purple bulb.

- Tie purple ribbons around trees in your neighborhood.

- Wear purple clothing.

- Buy and wear our purple wristbands.

- Turn city landmarks purple.

- Decorate the exterior of your city hall purple.

One out of every three Americans will be diagnosed with cancer during their lifetime; a disease characterized by the growth and spread of abnormal cells which can cause premature death if not controlled.

Purple is the color for cancer Survivors at Relay For Life events. So on Thursday, please dress in purple, decorate your home in purple, decorate your school in purple, dress your store front in purple. “The American Cancer Society Relay For Life represents the hope that those lost to cancer will never be forgotten, that those who face cancer will be supported, and that one day cancer will be eliminated,” Keenan said.

Registration forms and information about the Relay For Life are available on the Willow Glen Relay’s Web site http://events.cancer.org/rflwillowglenca. For more information contact or the American Cancer Society at (800) ACS-2345, or by visiting the Web site at www.cancer.org or contact Keenan at Mary@jackbkeenan.com.