Relay for Life of Starke County has started its annual “Paint the Town Purple” event.
The organization is encouraging businesses and individuals to decorate their storefronts or their homes with purple. A carnival theme to coincide with the annual Relay for Life event is also accepted to help raise awareness of the American Cancer Society’s efforts.
Ericka Taylor-Joseph is the Missions Chair for this year’s events. She says businesses often do whatever they can to raise awareness and that supports a monetary voting process that will lead to a winner.
“They actually can put a booth if they’d like to out at the Relay for Life event which does not happen unless you’re an actual team so it’s kind of something special for them to raise awareness of their business in our community as well as show that they were willing to put forth the effort to raise awareness and help us do that,” says Taylor-Joseph.
Paint the Town Purple has been an annual fundraising event for many years in Starke County.
There are quite a few businesses that participate, but Taylor-Joseph says the more businesses participating, the greater the funds able to be raised. Starke County Relay for Life says getting the community involved in an upcoming event helps participation levels, but also increases cancer awareness.
Taylor-Joseph says Pain the Town Purple provides options for local volunteers.
“We have a lot of busy people in our county, but the more that we can get people involved in the community and coming out to ‘Relay’ the more funds we raise, and the better off we are, and the more cancer research that can be completed to help us get a cure,” says Taylor-Joseph.
Paint the Town Purple kicks-off today and will run until June 15th.
Taylor-Joseph says getting in contact with her offices to declare your participation will help them with store front judging and better track the community involvement.
The American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life event will take place June 17th.
