Spokane, WA—The Lilac Bloomsday Association announced that it has contributed $15,928.67 to the Eastern Washington Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. The donation is a combination of money collected through the sale of pink bracelets plus donations Bloomsday entrants added to their entry fees.
“We’re very pleased to be able to make this contribution,” said Lilac Bloomsday Association President Al Odenthal. “We know it will be put to good use by the Komen Foundation in the fight against breast cancer.”
The Bloomsday Association paid all costs associated with acquiring and marketing the bracelets, which were sold for $1.00 at a variety of businesses in the Spokane area and at the Bloomsday Trade Show. All money paid for the bracelets went to the charity, as did nearly $9,000 collected through entry fee “add-ons.” 75% of the money donated will stay in Eastern Washington to support breast cancer education, screening, research and treatment. Donations also helped local organizers bring a Komen Race for the Cure® to Spokane, an effort that proved successful. Spokane’s inaugural Race for the Cure® will be Sunday, April 30, 2006.
"We thank the Lilac Bloomsday Association and the hundreds of Bloomsday entrants who bought pink bracelets or added a contribution to their entry fees last spring," said Cory Yost, race director for Spokane's Race for the Cure. "The donations will help fight breast cancer while also helping launch a great addition to the Spokane running scene."
Next year's Lilac Bloomsday Run will be Sunday, May 7, 2006. Online registration for Bloomsday '06 will open in January, 2006.
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